[OSM-talk] [Talk-us] Karlruhe Scheme addressing ways from 2009 TIGER data

[Andy Allan]

On Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 2:34 PM, Russ Nelson <nelson at crynwr.com> wrote:
> Andy Allan writes:
>  > On Sat, Nov 14, 2009 at 6:22 PM, Dave Hansen <dave at sr71.net> wrote:
>  >
>  > > There are still quite a few squeaky wheels that
>  > > like to grumble about TIGER, but I haven't heard a single person say
>  > > that it did more harm than good.
>  >
>  > It did more harm than good.
>
> No, it didn't.  I didn't start mapping until TIGER was imported.  Why?
> Because I knew that a lot of the work had already been done.  Why
> should I waste my time, as you folks in the UK have **been forced** to
> waste your time reinventing an existing map?

Sorry, which map have we reinvented? I'd love to know which map has an
accurate pedestrian routing network that is collected as such and not
a derived interpretation of other base maps. Or maybe you think OSM is
just a road network with some POIs? Or are you again thinking that the
work we've done in OSM is actually inferior to the work available from
the Ordnance Survey?

> We have a public domain
> map which we could start with.

If all you're aiming for is a slightly better version of TIGER, then
it was worth starting with TIGER and that's pretty much all you'll
get. Oh, look, that's what happened.

> Don't try to cast your impediment as an advantage.  It wasn't, and our
> advantage (sensible government policy) isn't an impediment.

So let me get this straight, your public domain road shapefiles have
been an advantage? And therefore OSM is better in the US than in
Germany? Geez, we're all sure hurting from a lack of imports over
here. I don't think you've really understood just *how* far behind you
are (precisely because of this "advantage", imo) and how much slower
things are progressing on your side of the Atlantic.

So please, turn away from imports and work on getting mappers in
charge, especially out pounding the streets. The outcome will be much,
much better in the end, and that end will come much, much quicker.

Cheers,
Andy