[OSM-talk] Portal for end users

[Daniel Koć]

W dniu 15.09.2015 23:07, Paul Johnson napisał(a):

> http://maps.randmcnally.com/ [2] sounds very close to what you're
> suggesting (also, bonus points, brand recognition:  People trust Rand
> McNally, and oddly enough, there's a pretty sizable attribution on the
> paper maps that can be found in every gas station in the midwest,
> which also has an elevator pitch for the project, IIRC).  I also tend

So that's good, however - keeping pure OSM perspective - it's not global 
(USA, I guess? I haven't even heard about this brand) and for me it's 
very similar to hello.mapquest.com - differences I see: POIs are static 
instead of dynamic layer, no traffic layer, no travel menu. The 
downsides are almost identical (however they have no ads).

> So pull a server together and start another tileset.  Who knows?  It
> might just be featured on the front page.

You got me =} - I'm not a tileseter nor enterpreneur. I just think how 
such portal should probably look like to meet the needs of people and at 
the same time help OSM be properly promoted (and grow).

> GNU still plays a very important part underpinning a lot of other
> projects, though, and is an irreplaceable part of the software
> ecosphere at this point.  Their portfolio is so broad right now that

That's exactly the situation I'd like to avoid: they do a lot, but are 
much less visible and known. It's not a problem in itself, but FSF, 
standing behind the GNU project, have a program (mission) which is their 
primary goal and they have less opportunities
to promote it.

> Well, hopefully, not something users come to begrudge like Mozilla.
> Maybe more like a Wikimedia Foundation, in which, just give it time,
> and we'll hit the runaway point.  We already hit the breakaway point.

Both are strong brands and quite effective in fulfilling their missions, 
even when dealing with other commercial entities.

I have also got to know that ClamAV (another open project) is 
incorporated in the commercial antivirus product with a link from the 
official project page and a logo and brand visible inside Immunet. It 
looks like if OSM had official partnership with McNally or MapQuest: not 
bad, but it's just not a project's best shot to reach end users.

-- 
"The train is always on time / The trick is to be ready to put your bags 
down" [A. Cohen]