[OSM-talk] Admin boundaries - data consumers

[Craig Wallace]

On 2013-11-09 15:25, Rob Nickerson wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> A few days ago there was a thread about the pros/cons of moving admin
> boundaries to a new database. I'm not going to give my opinion on this
> as the thread has now fizzled out, but I will suggest that decisions
> like this should involve as many of our end data users as possible (we
> have moved beyond a small isolated project).
>
> One such user is mySoicety. Check out the video of their MapIt Global
> talk at http://lanyrd.com/2013/sotm/scpkhg/ to see how they use
> boundaries from OSM.

Note MySociety do not use boundaries from OSM for the UK for their 
projects. Instead they just use boundaries from OS OpenData.
I think this is an example of where a separate database makes sense. ie 
with the complete, up to date OS OpenData boundaries, in a format 
compatible with OSM.

Yes, some of the OS OpenData boundaries have been added to OSM. But they 
are very incomplete/inconsistent, and often accidentally edited or 
broken etc. And probably out of date if the official boundaries have 
changed anywhere. So generally not as useful or reliable as just using 
the OS OpenData.

Craig