[OSM-talk] Historical Data in OSM database

[Serge Wroclawski]

On Mon, Nov 8, 2010 at 7:23 PM, Richard Palmer
<richard.d.palmer at kcl.ac.uk> wrote:
> Dear list,
>
>        I posted this query to the talk-gb list a while ago and it was
>        suggested I post it here for further discussion.
>
>        I'm interested in adding historical information to the OSM database
>        so a timeline can be added to a map to show changes in an area. I've
>        mocked up a very simple example at:

http://labs.geofabrik.de/history/


>        I can continue to do this using a standalone copy of the OSM database
>        but would prefer it to be made available for other people to
>        improve and add to. It's been pointed out to me that there was
>        a similiar proposal put by Frankie Roberto some time ago; I wondered
>        if any conclusion was come to about adding this data to the main
>        database?.

I don't understand the question. Why can't you use the minutely
planet.osm updates to construct this database?

>        If it was felt not appropriate to add it, is there some way a
>        separate historical database could still be kept in sync in some way
>        with the ever changing main database ?.

The main database includes the historical data, there's just not a
programmatic way to access it via the current API.

Constructing the tools to do it aren't hard, they're just time
consuming and computationally intensive.

- Serge