Linux

I've been editing OSM for years. (896,339 edits in 3,427 changesets, apparently!) For me, it's all about the free data. I once got a thank you note from someone who worked for a city with a particularly large municipal park. I'd added almost all the trails to the park and other information, and they'd used it to produce a printed map for the general public. Exactly the kind of thing I'd hoped for!

Personally, I do a lot of dualsport motorcycling and most backcountry maps around here are subpar. I map tons of trails and 2track and put them on the Garmin so I know where I'm going.

OSM is also great in lots of Europe--tons of detail.

JOSM is great.

Someone just recommended Organic Maps for the phone--it's way snappier than Google Maps, but still not great with finding addresses.

https://streetcomplete.app/ is a fun way to contribute to OSM and do something else instead of just "walking" if you want to get outside a bit.

OSM is an awesome project I agree it is fun contributing to it but it is not as useful yet due to what you describe, details.

Finding addresses and other specific information is very hit or miss in some areas. Especially in the US where no one really cares about it other than tech corporations using it for quick info like street layouts.

My entire city has address numbers missing and for a long time I used an app on my phone (StreetComplete) to fix address numbers and other various details. But it can be overwhelming very quickly depending on how outdated or not updated your place is. Time you enjoyed wasting is not wasted time by the way.

OSM is huge for backcountry. Hiking trails, skiing, etc. There is nothing better.

I use it quite often, but only recently began contributing. And as they (very) wisely say at the bottom of the wiki (https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Editing_Standards_and_Conventions ):

WARNING: OpenStreetMap is highly addictive Take frequent breaks, there is a lot to be done.

Im currently using streetcomplete, which is an app that gamifies the experience of fulfilling OSM gaps. It's like playing pokemon go but you are hunting a street with isle. I found this recommendation here in lemmy so im passing forward, I loved it

Where I live it's much more complete than google maps, especially in the countryside.

I regularly use OSM data through Organic Maps (mostly for larger European cities). The app is really polished and is a joy to use. So far I'm not missing any features from Google Maps.

I've also updated some faulty business hours for some restaurants so I guess I've contributed back.

E: With the recent developments in the world of free online services (YouTube blocking ad-blockers, Google lying to their customers about its TrueView ads, Twitter rate limiting free access, the Reddit API fiasco), I wonder how much longer we can take free services like Google Maps for granted. Having an open alternative may become even more important in the future.

I use it all the time with OSMand. and i have contributed to OSM for years. I just had a look - i start in Sep 2010 (13 years!) and all of my edits (except for a humanitarian tracing excersice for mozambique) i have been to. it is a niice spread:

BTW there's now an OSM community !openstreetmap@lemmy.ml

Every time I move to a new area this is one of things I do. Outside of Google, a lot of the other maps start with open street maps as their data set as it's an excellent jumping off point. So you're not just helping open street maps You're helping most map applications.

I spent a few hours last night adding buildings and restaurants and removing incorrect items. It was actually kind of fun and therapeutic and I plan to do more of it tonight.

Same here. I actually use OSM editing as others would use drawing. I even edit on OSM while engaging with people, just as others would sketch in their drawing book.

My girlfriend thinks it’s dumb and I’m wasting my time because Google maps and Apple maps and Bing maps exists

In case you or she is into hiking: Komoot is literally using OSM data. Paths for hiking and cycling outside the city are almost nonexistent on the big commercial services. When I'm going for a walk and I find a trashcan, I add it to OSM while I'm walking. My thinking is that people might be less likely to throw trash in the woods when they know that a trashcan is just around the corner.

Apologies, I just realized this question is not Linux specific.

"Has anyone used or contributed to OpenStreetMap, the data source of popular Linux apps Gnome Maps and KDE Marble?"

FTFY

We use OSM quite a bit for various things at my job (transport logistics software). We're generally concerned with UK cities, where the coverage is quite good, however we often find little things which aren't quiiiite right and make a fix or two.

It's a really cool project, overall

I did a few small corrections in the area I live. I removed a public road that wasn't a road but a private paved path. I got heavily criticized in a PM by another member for doing so. Haven't bothered doing anything since

Editing since people are correction me. Perhaps path is the wrong word to have used. Driveway would probably be more suitable.

I have updated a dirt road to asphalt.

I'm in the UK and open street map has mapped out my local area more accurately than google. It is marginal, but I stopped using google maps after a few issues: I was hiking and it directed me into a privately owned farm (claiming it is a permissive footpath).The farmer was very racist.

Another time I was directed through the middle of a primary school.

A couple of years ago, I had took the time to map in and around a small town close to me. I had mostly drawn building outlines that weren't there and updated POI stuff with some road corrections here and there. It was nice seeing the gradual changes I did after each time updating the map information on Map.me knowing that I’m helping anyone that plans to go through the area to have accurate information on what’s around.

I use, and contribute to it, quite often.

In fact, just a few months ago I added the 90% missing houses and buildings from my city (of 200,000), which took about 60 hours 😂 Totally worth it.

Keep in mind that not only do OpenStreetMap users benefit from the maps, but so do users of countless other map providers and services that rely on OSM data. 👌

I am actually going to a mapathon event in my city this weekend, so yea, there's an active community of people making their surroundings more accurate on OSM.

Used it every day when delivering, because there was much more detail than google maps, so I could actually see where fences and gates are. Used Waze to drive and OSM to walk.

I travel quite a bit, both for work and for pleasure, so when I have an hour or two to burn I take a walk around and make some contribution with StreetComplete.
It seems like I've found a new way of being a tourist.

I've been contributing to it via Street complete (can get it on fdroid) and it has become quite a hobby of mine.

I started with street complete, an app that lets you contribute/ fill out stuff in a playfull way, makes it a lot easier! Also OpenStreetMap is better in some things than g-maps e.g. for cycling roads, people with special needs or if you want to know where e.g. benches or waterplaces are

Started contributing 2 weeks ago and just did a walk for StreetComplete yesterday, it's hella fun and I've added a lot of POIs on my city since i started, just over 400 changesets atm :)

I have done 14k edits over six years. I too like it for being therapeutic. I'd rather do micro-edita on osm than play another level of candy crush. Same kind of reward but you are also helping out creating something larger!

Honestly though, I don't think osm will ever catch up to the commercial alternatives. Mostly because their harsh stance against automatic edits (and lack of version control). Also the lack of standardization is a problem. It's very hard to create client applications because the data is structured way different in different regions.

Hi! Wrong sub? No worries, our ~~subreddit~~community (!openstreetmap@lemmy.ml) is right here as well!

Did you also know that Apple Maps and Bing Maps use OSM data too in some areas, for some types of categories? Bing even has cloned an OSM-editing program.

Furthermore, you can use https://mapcomplete.osm.be to add shops or other POI. (Obligatory shill as I'm the main dev of that one ;) )

pietervdvn

It's very popular outside of US. In Iran, every single domestic map, navigation, e-taxi, and online delivery system uses OSM maps. Iran has a pretty good coverage on OSM however many businesses upload their data to Google Maps first.

My girlfriend thinks it’s dumb and I’m wasting my time because Google maps and Apple maps and Bing maps exists but she just doesn’t understand open source.

Time to move on, she ain't the one. /s

Yes and yes! Couldn't contribute that much but I try to

I think having a highly important FOSS project that is not controlled by a company known for shutting down many of its beloved products (I'm talking about you Google) is pretty nice...

Also I think map quality is location-dependent. I live in a large metropolitan area in Southern US; OSM is usable, but there are no house/building numbers, and a good number of businesses are missing. In contrast I think the map is a lot better in Chicago which is a lot more pedestrian-friendly? Also, when I looked at Germany it seems OSM is on-par or better than Google Maps... in fact one of the larger rental websites use OSM instead of Google Maps (imagine Zillow doing it in US lol)

Organic Maps is the only map app on my device, and I've got over 1300 edits, most of which have been made with StreetComplete.

Yes I use OSM almost exclusively and have contributed to it.

Where I live, in Germany, OSM is pretty much on the same level as Google Maps and way better than Apple Maps. Sometimes there is outdated info but you can quickly correct it. Sometimes I double check stuff with GM. Some information is even better than GM. But I think Germany has a pretty strong OSM community, at least in my city.

I use Organic Maps on iOS.

Here in kerala ( a small state in india ), we have a project called Mapathon Keralam. They work with engineering colleges to map out nearby places as well as any place in general. Had contributed few places myself. So pretty much all places in kerala are now mapped in it :)

Yes, I moved in St Lucia, a small Caribbean island (~620km) few years ago.

Openstreetmap already had a lot of information but nothing on the land use (forest, field ...). So over almost a year I've worked on it to add all the forest using satellite imagery. Most of the community names were missing so I've also added around 100 names and plenty of roads and buildings.

I've also started to add all the rivers and stream using public data but this is still underway.

There is also wheelmap.org , based on Openstreet maps. Project asks for volunteers to mark wheelchair accessible places that you know of.

Even a few markdowns would help if you know an accessible space, store, restaurant, bathroom etc. !

I have done more work on OpenSeaMap. It started with me being annoyed with plotters costing too much and ended in me using many hours to mark down rocks from satellite images.

It's still pretty basic and there is no good way of collecting water depth info, but fun to improve it.

As others have mentioned, I really recommend StreetComplete. I used it for my city and it's a nice and helpful way as well to walk around what would otherwise be a boring scenery I've seen too many times.

I do get looks when I walk up and down stairs trying to count the steps though.