[HOT] Missing Maps Project mapathon 29/07/14

[Nick Allen]

Hi,

I'd like to get in first with a few words of thanks. I'm sure there will 
be more from the experts, but here's my comments.

Yesterday evening saw over 50 people in a large room at the MSF offices 
in London learning a little more about mapping & the Missing Maps 
project http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Missing_Maps_Project. 
<http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Missing_Maps_Project> Many of them 
had no mapping experience at all at the start of the evening. We managed 
to cover the basics of getting started in mapping for HOT, and provided 
enough information for them to get started. We concentrated on tasks;
http://tasks.hotosm.org/project/586 & on the Lesotho tasks.

Validating is an extremely good way of giving feedback to new mappers - 
please consider doing a little validating 
(http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/OSM_Tasking_Manager/Validating_data 
for more info about validating), and if you are validating, please be 
kind. We all have to start somewhere & a little encouragement goes a 
long way. A positive word or link to where to get help to avoid a 
problem pasted into the comments box when you validate is all it needs.

Personally I had a great evening, and that was due to the people who 
worked so hard to make it happen. I don't know all the names, so I've 
now reached the awkward bit where I flounder with what to say. I do know 
that (no particular order) Dan Stowell, Derick Rethans, Pete Masters, 
Andrew Braye, Harry Wood, Steve Pike, & Nataly Raab all deserve medals, 
but I also know there were other people working away in the background 
who made sure that all sorts of things that have to happen, actually 
did, and the things that need to happen for the future actually will.

As I said, Thank you - please help again, it is appreciated!

And for the future - well, yes please. And we'd like more help please. 
You may not consider yourself an expert, but if you know any of the 
following, you could make future events go even better;
where the tasking manager is & how to log in,
how to load the imagery,
how to install JOSM in Windows, Mac or Linux,
what remote control in JOSM is, and how to set it up,
how to zoom, scroll, copy & paste with a mac, (in fact, just about 
anything / everything with a mac!)
how to map in iD
how to upload to OSM
etc., etc
.....  if you're reading this email your probably an expert to any new 
mappers, even if you don't think so. You don't have to stand in front of 
a group of people & talk - I & others are willing to do that bit, but we 
do need mappers who know at least the basics to help the brand new ones 
get through that first little hurdle.

Thanks for reading
<http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Missing_Maps_Project>

Nick

Volunteer 'Tallguy' for 
https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Humanitarian_OSM_Team

http://www.openstreetmap.org/user/Tallguy

Treasurer, website & Bonus Ball admin for 
http://www.6thswanleyscouts.org.uk/ (treasurer at 6thswanleyscouts.org.uk 
<mailto:treasurer at 6thswanleyscouts.org.uk>)

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