[OSM-talk] JOSM and scale

[David Earl]

On 25/03/2008 17:16, Andy Robinson (blackadder) wrote:
> Vector editing software such as CAD packages are normally scale free at the
> editing level. The co-ordinates are simply sufficient, especially if you
> have the ability to draw a vector a specific distance from a point as a
> polar ray or snapped relative to something else. Its only at plot time do
> you decide what scale you wish to make your view. Perhaps if JOSM worked the
> same way there would really be no need for a scale bar, especially when the
> scale bar needs to read differently for vertical and horizontal projection
> distances.

I disagree. I often dictate 'postbox 10m after junction' or '... set 
back 30m from road' by my estimate, and I need to see what that amounts 
to in JOSM - though apparently I have been misled so far! Which would 
explain why my estimates haven't seemed to correspond to reality sometimes.

In Mercator distance is constant independent of orientation, isn't it?

David