[OSM-talk] Streetcomplete and Geographically Large Changesets

[ndrw6]

On 24/07/2021 22:33, Justin Tracey wrote:
> 
> The entire idea of StreetComplete is that it's an editor intended *only* 
> for low-effort survey data via quests.

That's IMHO the biggest drawback of StreetComplete. It wants to be both 
a game and a mapping tool and it fails at both. It isn't a game because 
is lacks any scoring or ranking mechanisms that could engage players and 
make them compete against each other. And it isn't a mapping tool 
because everything is wrapped in curated quests focused on gaming 
experience and not on adding data mappers are interested in.

Anti-features, like the aforementioned distance limitations, are a part 
of this personality split. They would make sense as an anticheat 
mechanism in a multiplayer game but in a mapping app they serve no 
purpose. A mapping app should encourage people to add data, not actively 
discourage them from it.

I tried using the app for mapping address data (mainly house numbers) 
and found it very frustrating, despite a very nice user interface and 
predefined quests for adding house numbers. It felt as if the app wasn't 
actually meant for adding any data at all, just having something to do 
on my cellphone whilst walking. Thanks, but not thanks. I already have 
Pokemon Go for that.

-ndrw6