[OSM-talk] Why I don't use JOSM (was Re: Non-map-based OSM editor)

[M∡rtin Koppenhoefer]

2011/1/24 Steve Bennett <stevagewp at gmail.com>:
> On Mon, Jan 24, 2011 at 10:25 AM, Anthony <osm at inbox.org> wrote:
>> I'm not quite sure why, but I really don't like JOSM.
>
> In my case I think it boils down to:
> 1) Complicated, idiosyncratic user interface. My brain just doesn't
> have space to learn new interfaces. Everything needs to behave the
> same.


I guess that's simply habits, basically you need to remember 4 letters
in josm, which is IMHO not too much if you plan to participate
frequently to the project (a to add nodes, s to select, p to split
ways and c to combine them) plus a few buttons (add tag, edit/create
relation, change direction of way)


> 2) Fragility. I tried fiddling with a plug in once and everything just broke.


If you are annoyed by plugins that break everything (does indeed
happen, but rarely), simply don't install them. Stuff that has proven
generally useful and stable will usually get integrated in the main
code basis.


> 3) Poor performance. (On my environment anyway.)


I see the same for potlatch on my environment, especially before you
can edit I usually have to wait quite a bit for potlatch to download
geometry (and if download hangs you would add already existing ways).
If you don't hold half of a big city in the memory JOSM gets quite
usable also on slower hardware (e.g. I find the performance sufficient
to edit on a 250 EUR - netbook).


cheers,
Martin