[OSM-talk] Newish Kid on This Block

[Arnie Shore]

Hello all. Let me tell you a bit re what I'm doing (he sez, as though he 
really knows!) and invite suggestions.

We have a free open source computer-aided dispatch application, targeted 
to teams/agencies with zero budgets for software of this nature, or who 
find that their needs just aren't met by commercial products. (It's 
Tickets by name, project site at www.ticketscad.org.) It's built using 
the usual open source suspects, PHP and MySql.  Many downloads so far, 
with installations worldwide.

Of special relevance here is that we have Google Maps as the current 
geo-spatial component. Justification is the usual one.

Responding to the need to provide for operation under emergency 
conditions, we're planning to port Tickets to a mapping base that wd 
allow its use in situation where - at least temporarily - there's no 
Internet access; the maps/tiles/images wd need storage and accessibility 
local to the web server.  OSM is clearly the solution here, given all of 
the above.  Leaflet looks real good as the API, after spending some time 
looking hard at OpenLayers.  The latter's size and complexity were 
overkill to our relatively straight-forward requirements.

We have the basics working with Leaflet and locally-stored tile sets; a 
JS boolean sends the software to pull tiles from OSM.  I'm aware of 
concerns re the latter, and we'll certainly honor those.

Now a question:  While our package currently includes functions for the 
users to download selected zoom and tiles extents from OSM for local 
storage, I'd like to be able to point US users at any available packaged 
tile sets, by county or state.  (Ideally free, but a moderate cost might 
be acceptable.)  I've poked around looking for such, but no joy so far. 
  So, recommended sources?

Th - th - th - that's it folks. Comments and suggestions invited, and 
certainly from anyone who's undertaken a similar task.

Arnie Shore
Tickets CAD Project Team
Annapolis, MD