On Dec 14, 2011, at 1:48 PM, Tobias Knerr wrote: > Martijn van Exel wrote: >> We're definitely losing (potential) mappers to GMM. I don't have to >> tell you that's a shame -- all that effort going into creating >> non-free data. But how do we divert some of that energy to OSM? > > Well, let's ask a Map Maker user: > http://forum.openstreetmap.org/viewtopic.php?id=14666 > > I'm under the impression that a large part of Google's attractiveness is > due to their *really* high-quality applications and services. We have > nice maps, but they have a search function that works, routing, aerial > imagery, the ability to make your own map overlays, official smartphone > apps with vector rendering, and so on. > > For people who are primarily motivated by applications they can use > today, rather than the potential for future applications, we're just not > that attractive - at least as far as "mainstream" applications are > concerned.
I think we'll see this start to change, and soon. All I can provide is anecdata, but I have been seeing a slow but consistent upward trend in new map clients asking specifically for OpenStreetMap cartography and mapping projects even if they don't know what that actually *means*, because they believe that they're about to be taken to the cleaners for their GMaps API usage. GMM is improving its story but they're also 100% on the hook for providing those high-quality applications and services. They can accept no help in this regard, except by appropriating the terminology of free and open data. -mike. ---------------------------------------------------------------- michal migurski- m...@stamen.com 415.558.1610 _______________________________________________ talk mailing list talk@openstreetmap.org http://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk