[Openstreetmap] Unified data-gathering and editing application

Richard Fairhurst richard at systemeD.net
Sun Feb 27 19:44:35 GMT 2005


On 27 Feb 2005, at 10:56, Nick Whitelegg wrote:

> This would in many ways be an extension of the existing applet, and 
> it's also
> something I've already started with my FreemapEdit application. If 
> people
> think this sort of unified data-gathering and editing application 
> would be
> useful, it's something I can get going on. Only one thing - I would 
> prefer it
> to be a desktop C++ app rather than an applet, for speed and user 
> interface
> quality (when Scalable Vector Graphics becomes widely supported on 
> browsers,
> that would be my ideal solution but that's not happened yet...)

The Ming library, which enables you to generate SWFs from your language 
of choice (Perl/PHP/Python/C), is an excellent way of creating 
vector-graphics web apps which most of the world can use.

Doubtless most people on this list would be very happy downloading and 
building a desktop app from source. But this approach excludes a huge 
number of potential track contributors: non-tech-savvy hikers, 
cyclists, or just general transport nuts. (I reckon that the road 
enthusiasts at http://groups.msn.com/TheSABRERoadsWebsite/ are ideal 
candidates.) Even downloading and installing a binary may impose too 
high a participation barrier.

(IME anything which bills itself as a GIS package is usually way too 
complex for Joe Public to understand, but that may just be prejudice on 
my part.)

Whatever: the easier the interface we present, the more likely we are 
to get contributions.

cheers
Richard





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