[OSM-talk] Google expands their map data

S Omeone someonewxyz at hotmail.com
Sat Nov 13 17:54:16 GMT 2010


Hi,

I haven't seen this mention before and I thought it might be of some interest here.

Since sometime last year Google no longer used TeleAtlas for their map data in the
USA but instead created their own map data.  It seems they have now extended
their own data to 10 more countries including some in Europe Africa and
Oceania [1,2]. However, what makes it interesting from a OSM point of view
(apart from knowing what the "competitors" do) is the way they seemingly crowd
source their  updates and error reports. (The main data is, unlike their also very
 successful map maker maps, not crowd sourced, but supposedly collected together
with the street view data). Just like they have had in the US, however, they now
have a nice and simple, easy to spot and convenient  "Report a problem" link in
these countries in the bottom right hand corner.

OpenStreetMap has of cause something similar with OpenStreetBugs (which
Google may well have used as inspiration), but unfortunately, as too often, less
convenient.  Instead of simply clicking on the report a problem link, in OSM you
first have to know something like this exists, then figure out that you might learn
about such a feature on the wiki, search the wiki for it, go to some random external
page, then find your location on the map again without a search box on the OSB
page, and then finally you might actually be able to add your error report...

Can we perhaps learn something from Google of how to build a nice user friendly
crowd sourcing of local knowledge?

Also, can we perhaps somehow harness the fact that Google is "educating" people
about the possibilities to crowd source maps through map maker and the "report a
problem" link? E.g. by creating a press release highlighting some of the additional
benefits of OSM over Google (without being unfair to them)?

Or will Google eventually beat OSM at its own game?

[1] http://searchengineland.com/google-updates-maps-in-10-countries-teleatlas-going-away-55288
[2] http://google-latlong.blogspot.com/2010/11/changing-world-changing-maps.html
 		 	   		  


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