[Talk-ca] Question re mapping parties and geobase upload

[Richard Weait]

On Tue, 2009-06-02 at 14:54 -0400, Pagurek,Debbie [NCR] wrote:
> Hi all, 
> I am new to OpenStreetMap. I am happy to hear about the announcement
> about the inclusion of GeoBase data in OSM. I am currently writing an
> internal newsletter for my organization, with an article featuring
> OSM. My question is this - in light of GeoBase data being included,
> should I be encouraging people to get out there to do mapping parties?
> Or should I instead tell them how to get involved in uploading areas
> from Geobase? If people go out to do mapping parties and then the
> GeoBase data is uploaded to the same area, what happens to their
> mapping party data?

Hi Debbie, 

Welcome to you and to your organization.  

Yes!  Absolutely you should get out and participate by mapping and
hosting mapping parties and learning about the tools and projects in and
around OpenStreetMap.  If you look at the OpenStreetMap slogan [1] "It's
fun.  It's free.  You can help."  All of that is true when considering
the imported data.  

Firstly, you will participate in OSM because it is fun.  If it is useful
to you or your organization that's great too, but you'll keep
participating because it is fun.  

It's free and the GeoBase and other data sets [2] are included because
they can be included without detracting from your freedom to you the
data and the rest of the OpenStreetMap project.  

And you can help.  The governments of Canada (federal, provincial,
regional) can not map everything that we can map as OpenStreetMap
contributors.  We, as contributors, have diverse interests and we live
and work everywhere we can accomplish mapping tasks that "The
Government" can't or won't map.  We as citizens would flip out if the
government compiled a map of Canadian coffee shops and bowling alleys.  

We can do it for fun.  So why not add the local bowling alleys and
coffee shops that you know to the map?  

How does the import effect your mapping parties and your collected data?
The import team is deliberately avoiding the destruction of user
contributed data.  The process may not be perfect but we are using tools
that allow us to recognize GeoBase data that already has already been
contributed by a user, and preferentially leaving that user contributed
data in place.  

Also, there are many things that you can add to the map that do not
appear in the GeoBase or other data sets.  Things like recreation trails
and facilities, businesses, historic and tourism points of interest.  

We're having a mapping party in Toronto on Sunday, 07 June 2009 and you
should join us.  [3]  

Best regards,
Richard

[1] http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Banner
[2] http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Attribution
[3] http://www.meetup.com/OpenStreetMap-Toronto/calendar/10345433/