[OSM-talk] Using OpenStreetMap on a daily basis

[Andrew Errington]

On 11 July 2013 16:25, Frederik Ramm <frederik at remote.org> wrote:
> Hi,
>
>
> On 07/11/2013 05:08 AM, Andrew Errington wrote:
>>
>> I proposed this idea to the Mapnik team, and I wrote the code to do
>> it, but it was rejected.
>
>
> This is how silly myths like "OSM hates women because they rejected a
> childcare proposal" get started - by leaving out 90% of something. Please
> don't do it - it helps nobody. If you have to mention that your proposal
> (which was not to the Mapnik team, btw.) was rejected, then also say why.

All right, here you are:  I proposed this idea by opening a TRAC
ticket for the OSM Mapnik component.  It was immediately rejected
because having a third version of 'permalink' was deemed to be not
acceptable.  I wrote the code to do it after the idea was rejected,
because I still thought it was a good idea, and I thought it was
better to offer code than to simply demand a feature.  Luckily, it
turned out to be straightforward, so I was able to demonstrate how
easy it would be to implement.

I was told the 'acceptable' way is to modify the 'Export' tab so that
a marker link can be created from there.  This hasn't been done yet
(and I don't see a TRAC ticket for it, so I don't know if anyone is
working on it).  Right now it's sort of possible by choosing
'Embeddable HTML' and editing the HTML that is generated in the
'Output' box, but that is extremely cumbersome and definitely not user
friendly.  Even if the feature was implemented in the 'acceptable' way
I personally don't think it *is* acceptable to have to click on the
Export tab (and then 'Embeddable HTML' and then 'Add a marker') to
make a marker, when it could be done very simply with a single click
in the same way as 'Permalink' works.

My main disappointment is that we didn't try it.  I don't care if it
is superseded by something better later, or if it turns out I was
wrong and my proposal really does suck, but the requirement keeps
popping up and we have nothing.  Actually, I suppose we could have
both options, but right now we have neither.

> Have you seen the "new map UI" proposed by the Mapbox team
> (http://mapui.apis.dev.openstreetmap.org/)?

Thanks.  I had not seen that until now.

> If something along those lines
> were used, then there would be more than enough room for a "markerlink" in
> the "share" panel.

Absolutely!  When can we have it?

Best wishes,

Andrew