[OSM-talk] New tool/API to find local OSM mailing lists by location

Edward Betts edward at 4angle.com
Sat Nov 25 16:38:52 UTC 2017


I've made a tool with an API for finding local OSM mailing lists.

https://local.openstreetmap.directory/

The web interface handles searching by place name or lat/lon, the API can
be queried by place name, lat/lon and OSM object.

This is a proof of concept, I threw it together to see if it useful.

How might it be used? Think about systems for organising remote mapathons,
like Missing Maps. They could use the API to look up the local mailing list
and remind the organiser to contact the local community to let them know
about the mapathon.

Or an assisted editing tool like MapRoulette might show details of the local
mailing list so mappers know how to contact if they're making a complex edit
and they want to check with the local community that the edit is correct.

Here are some example queries and the result:

  Cuba:          Talk-cu
  Rome:          Talk-it-lazio
  Burkina Faso:  Talk-bf
  Oxford:        Talk-gb-oxoncotswolds
  Timbuktu:      Talk-ml
  47.6,-122.3:   Talk-us-pugetsound

How does it work? The heavy lifting is done via the Nominatim API. For every
lookup it issues a query to Nominatim and uses the address information to
determine the local mailing list.

Code: https://github.com/EdwardBetts/localosm
Service: https://local.openstreetmap.directory/

Is this useful? I'd love to hear your thoughts or questions.
-- 
Edward.



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