[OSM-dev] Cloudmade routing for OSM rails_port site.

[Dermot McNally]

2009/4/29 Frederik Ramm <frederik at remote.org>:

> *If* our user base thinks that routing is a need they want met by the
> OpenStreetMap site, which is something that should be discussed.

There's another angle to consider here - we don't just need to cater
for our existing user-base (who are probably quite a resourceful
bunch). One of the reasons we have a site with a slippy map on it is
that it demonstrates to those unfamiliar to the project what
OpenStreetMap is capable of. That our slippy map closely resembles
those of Google, Yahoo and others helps to get around any scepticism
that might arise. This is why it is, IMHO, important that the map be
draggable rather than click-the-edge-to-pan-and-reload. AJAX-powered
maps are considered a baseline user requirement.

Clearly every potential user of OSM is different, but for me, a key
benefit when I discovered the project what "hey, vector data, that can
be used for routing!". If we think that others discovering the project
would thing likewise then a prominent path from project home page to a
routing engine (and I really couldn't care less whose) would be a Good
Thing. As long as it works acceptably well, of course...

Dermot


-- 
--------------------------------------
Iren sind menschlich