[OSM-newbies] Conversational gambit: New to OSM?

[Peter Lerner]

Hi!

> 1. What first brought your attention to OSM?  A magazine article?  A
> web site interview?  SteveC's FLOSS Weekly interview?

My Garmin GPS got me here ... showing my own gpx-tracks on Google Earth
to others was a killer in the first place. Being able to improve the 
maps I use was even better. I was able to add my hiking trails to the 
OSM "white space" ...

> 2. What made you decide to get involved and join this list?

I NEEDED MORE INPUT! <RETURN>

> 3. What is the trickiest part about starting with OSM, for you?  Can
> you suggest how to make this tricky thing less-tricky?

first - find the right tools - merkaator or josm? josm or potlatch?

second - what am I allowed to do and more important what not   (netiquette)?

third - the tags and what they effect for different uses of the map data
        (e.g. for simple map display OSM data can be more simply;
         for GPS routing the topology matters; understand relations!!)

fourth - shortcomings of the tools (conflict on upload -- i lost some 
hours editing!); inconsistency how to map certain things; missing 
guidelines and details (e.g. how to make pedestrian areas routable! 
layers and what they are NOT used for! tracks or footways!); always 
endangered to tag for the renderers (how to display a tennis-field 
within a sports area on mapnik; a soccer field inside a running track, 
etc ...)

Peter