[OSM-talk] [OSM-dev] What is OSM and what isn't?

[Andy Allan]

On Thu, Apr 30, 2009 at 4:46 PM, Alan Wright
<alanwright.atex at googlemail.com> wrote:

> I think OpenStreetMap needs a "shop window" - perhaps a different website
> altogether.

I disagree. OSM doesn't need a faked-up website to show what can be
done. There's plenty of real places using the data for real
applications, and that's waaay better than anything that is conceived
just for showing-off.

OSM needs two aspects - a place which is a hive of mapping activity
(i.e. for mappers) and places of OSM consumption. IMnotveryHO the
consumption stuff has been left to others, and rightfully so. If we
want to show off OSM to consumers, then lets point them to awesome
places that are using OSM data.

And then on the other front, which boils down to what should
openstreetmap.org be focussed on, that's everything that's needed for
mapping activity. Like a ship's bridge or a surgical theatre or a
well-stocked toolbench it should have everything close to hand that
mappers need to get their jobs done, and do it well. Maps to see
what's there. Tools to edit the data and inspect it. Ways to
communicate with other mappers. Calendars to organise parties. Blogs
to keep the community bound together.

One small part of that (in the "inspecting the data" part) is routing.
I don't want a journey planner on osm.org (unless it's for getting to
the mapping parties :-) ) but I do need a way to check the
connectivity and correctness of the mapping data. And not as some
hidden extra in an editor I don't happen to use - it should be
somewhere close to hand. We started with a map and then developed
maplint, nonames, keepright et al, so we should start with
point-to-point routing and then figure out how we can improve things -
with the primary purpose being to help mappers.

Cheers,
Andy