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

[Alan Wright]

> 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

Ok you disagree and that's fine - it is a community after all :)

However I'd like you to perhaps think about some of the conversations I'm
having...

"Take a look at this... It's call OpenStreetMap and it's the Wikipedia of 
Maps...
it has a really strong backing from a huge community and it really looks 
promising ..."

"...Yeah, that looks cool I see you get some fantastic detail in those 
maps... What
else can it do?"

"...Oh a bunch of stuff - it's all free to use... you can do what you like 
with it"

"Like what?"

"Routing, geocoding... all sorts of stuff..."

"Great, where can I see this?"

"Hmmm... not sure, try hunting around a bit... check their wiki... there's 
stuff announced
on their mailing list all the time..."

"...hmmm, right".


Apologies if this sounds trite, and I'm certainly not trying to sound like a
spoilt child, but these are the types of conversations I'm having regularly.
Now you could argue that I simply don't know enough about what's going on,
but I've read enough User Diaries and mailing list comments to know that
a lot of people are having real difficulty in identifying a central place 
where
stuff can be found.  The only place we have right now (that could be 
considered
a "front door") is osm.org and in my opinion it doesn't have enough of a wow
factor to attract the attention I think it deserves.  As a website, osm.org 
serves
it's "mapper" audience very well - it's the casual browser, or company boss
that perhaps need something a little more polished and less wiki-like in 
nature.

Alan.