[Talk-ca] Topographic map app using OSM data

[Dan Charrois]

Must have been too many late nights.  When I skimmed through the description of the app while responding to you, I thought I somehow had forgotten to mention OpenStreetMap in the description.  But when I went to go add it, I found that it had been there all along - turns out that I hadn't forgotten after all:

"Of course, there is a lot more to Mapster than just a visualization of the terrain in an area. We use data from the OpenStreetMap project to be able to show you where roads, trails, stores, coffee shops, and hundreds of different types of features can be located. Approximately a billion points make up the current OpenStreetMap data set, and the collection is continuing to grow at an astounding rate."

More details about OpenStreetMap, including the appropriate license details (currently CC-BY-SA, but that will change to ODbL when appropriate), and information on how to get involved in the OpenStreetMap community are found within the program itself.

I'm not sure what additional attribution to OpenStreetMap might be relevant.   I decided against putting OpenStreetMap "branding" on the rendered map images themselves, for a couple of reasons.  First, as the device displays can be small, adding anything there unnecessarily is very distracting to the user experience (some may disagree on whether they consider license information "always visible" necessary, but I see no requirement for that).  The second reason is that OpenStreetMap data is only one portion of the data set used by my software - if I put up a banner in the images referencing OpenStreetMap, it would only be appropriate to also have to mention the other sources of data I use (for topographical information) as well.  That's why accreditation on the images themselves doesn't seem appropriate to me, considering how OpenStreetMap is referenced in the description and in the relevant places in the software itself.

Dan

On 2011-May-06, at 8:11 PM, Dan Charrois wrote:

> Hi again.
> 
> I'm glad you noticed that - I thought I *had* attributed OSM.. this was an oversight.  OpenStreetMap is in the keywords used in searching for itt , and is definitely mentioned prominently within the app itself - both in the attributions section, as well as significantly in the help section within the app, where I discuss how the maps are generated, and encourage people to participate in OpenStreetMap to continue to improve the data used in generating the maps.  But I agree that it wouldn't be out of place in the app description on iTunes, and I'll change it - we'll see how long it takes Apple to update my description change.
> 
> I considered, but decided against putting in OSM branding overlaid on top of the map itself continually while the person is using the program - the screens are tiny and tend to be cluttered enough with the screen controls and map itself without that.  But I'll definitely add an OSM attribution into the description on iTunes.
> 
> Dan
> 
> On 2011-May-06, at 7:19 PM, Richard Weait wrote:
> 
>> On Fri, May 6, 2011 at 8:52 PM, Dan Charrois <dan at syz.com> wrote:
>>> Hi Richard.
>>> 
>>> I hope to set up a "proper" web site describing it in more detail (with screen snapshots) in a few days and will let you know the link once that's ready.  But in the meantime, the link I provided earlier (http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/mapster/id409304946?mt=8&uo=4) is accessible to everyone whether or not they have an iTunes account or iDevice of some kind (at least, I think so).  There are a few screen snapshots in there, as well as a more detailed description.
>> 
>> Dear Dan,
>> 
>> Thanks for the link.  I didn't see any credit for OSM in the
>> screenshots.  Do you need a hand with sorting out the attribution
>> requirements for you app.  I'd like to help you make your app a good
>> example of an OpenStreetMap consumer; then I can happily spread the
>> word widely.
>> 
>> Best regards,
>> Richard
> 
> --
> Syzygy Research & Technology
> Box 83, Legal, AB  T0G 1L0 Canada
> Phone: 780-961-2213
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Talk-ca mailing list
> Talk-ca at openstreetmap.org
> http://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk-ca

--
Syzygy Research & Technology
Box 83, Legal, AB  T0G 1L0 Canada
Phone: 780-961-2213