>> All this is true, but.... I think we are too concentrated on generating >> content (i.e. mapping) as opposed to actually using this data for some >> meaningful purpose. I guess this is natural, since majority of OSM users >> are mostly map data producers, and only the minority is actively >> involved in map "consuming". >> >> It is right that we are all concentrating on creation of content. But, >what we haven't had yet is any commercial map data consumers telling us >what they need. Well, in a way, maybe Nav4All is telling us what it >needs... and I sometimes hear Cloudmade banging on about routing. > >It would be interesting to have some map consumer tell us what their minimum >mapping needs. Statements like "OSM has been looked at but is no solution >because there is no full coverage" don't help us to provide what they need. > >While mappers might be uncomfortable to mark out an area and tag it with >ok_for_Nav4All=yes, I think I would be happy to mark out areas with >road_network=complete and cycle_network=complete, based on some definition >provided by someone who would actually use that information.
I think one of the hardest parts of OSM is that the world is very heterogeneous. You see that in the discussions about cyclepaths, you that in software that using doesn't quite do what is locally expected (or needed), and of course the quality of the data varies wildly. So, I can only speak for what I see here in .nl. And that is quite good. Whether is is yournavigation (based on gosmore), andnav2, or a Garmin gps, I can expect to get where I want to be, both by car and by bike, and with a reasonable route. Of course, 'we' got lucky, and got most of the road network from AND, but that doesn't include cycle paths, and it is not often that I come across one that is missing. But the main point is that from a tagging point of view, all of this is not very hard. There are not that many tags you really need for a road network, there are validators to help you clean up intersections, but the main thing is to get out there and try to navigate using OSM data. I think it is pity that nav4all doesn't want to OSM because you do need the eyeballs get it right. In my experience, OSM data worthless until you use it for something. If all you do is make pretty maps, you will never get what you need for navigation, because you won't spot the bugs. So, if we want to 'sell' OSM as suitable for navigation, then 'we' have to go out and use it for that purpose, _______________________________________________ talk mailing list talk@openstreetmap.org http://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk
