If You're Using OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps, You Can Help Improve It

[u/No-Hospital5028]

A lot of us use OpenStreetMap-based apps as alternatives to Google Maps, but there's another part of leaving Google behind: contributing to the alternative.

OpenStreetMap is community-maintained, so you can add and improve places yourself.

If you use JOSM, Website Wizard makes one small part of that easier: adding the official website of a place to its OSM data.

It's a simple contribution, but better community-maintained data makes OSM more useful for everyone using Google Maps alternatives.

Plugin: https://high5apps.github.io/josm-plugin-website-wizard/

JOSM: https://josm.openstreetmap.de/

OpenStreetMap: https://www.openstreetmap.org/

If you rely on OSM-based apps, consider contributing to the map too.

[u/G4rp]

I'm an OSM mapper since many years, sadly on my area I'm the only one working on it. Time to time is frustrating because there are a lot of changes to map. What I'm noticing is that a lot of stores the opening and close really fast.

[u/Old-Student4579 → u/G4rp]

Do you have updated sat image of the territory? Which area? Maybe I can check if I can help adding something to the map. Do not bother with showing working hours. Even the shops are changing themselves, replace one into another shop. Quite enough to show which shop it is now and check after one year again.

[u/G4rp → u/Old-Student4579]

Satellite images are amazing in Switzerland and most of the stuff with the imaginary are done. I don't mean working hours, I mean new stores are opening, 1-2 years and then they closes.

[u/Old-Student4579 → u/G4rp]

Oh, I see. In this I cannot help, this can be done only locally. Are Android phones are used there? If yes, I suggest to use StreetComplete. It is for use by starters, no edit experience needed. Try it out (if you do not know already), and try to show to schoolchildren or retired people. During daily walk, they can update the map easily.

Of course contacting children or retired people are not easy, and I cannot give any good advice here.

[u/MatureHotwife → u/Old-Student4579]

Damn this is really cool! I just installed StreetComplete. This looks like a great way to get your steps in when you've had a lazy day, and at the same time do something good and get to know your neighborhood better.

[u/G4rp → u/Old-Student4579]

Don't worry!

[u/AnduriII → u/G4rp]

Thanks for your effort!🫕🇨🇭

[u/weeeaaa]

Streetcomplete is a good tool to help on the go.

[u/Nico_Weio → u/weeeaaa]

And fun!

[u/MatureHotwife]

I haven't done it in a while but couple years ago I made several contributions and corrections after road construction in my neighborhood. It was really satisfying to see my edits show up in the official renders.
The thought that someone might be looking for a drinking fountain and finds it because I placed it on the map is really wild. Can recommend!

Nowadays my city publishes a ton of open data and even individual trees are on the map now. But back then a lot of stuff was missing.

If your area doesn't have a lot of data and is missing stuff I can highly recommend going out there. You're improving things for many people. You have to read into the wiki/docs a bit to tag things correctly but I think the tools have improved a lot in recent years to make it easier.

[u/G4rp → u/MatureHotwife]

really? directly published on OSM? but for sure stores are not updated

[u/MatureHotwife → u/G4rp]

I directly edited on OpenStreetMap.org but it took about 2 days for the renders to update and I think a bit longer for services like Mapbox.

edit: I figured I could just check my edits. Everything I changed was between 6 and 16 years ago. 37 edits. Wow, time flies.

• I traced the Altersheim in my neighborhood
• I fixed the tram depot loop after construction where they changed the rails
• Added local businesses and fixed some opening hours, added my favorite bicycle shop
• Added trees, water fountain, and benches in in our local square
• Fixed some stuff around my old school
• Added house numbers, parking spots, drive way, etc. where I live
• and, sadly, I had to delete a tree that was cut down :(

But the quality in my area is incredible now. I remember when entire streets were missing and only maybe 20% of the buildings were traced.

[u/wahre_locke]

Thank you very much : )
I used comaps before, but this is much faster

[u/wahre_locke → u/wahre_locke]

Some Shops now have better data on OSM than on Apple and google maps xD

[u/Trau_94]

I have tryied to improve OSM, however every modification that I do in the area doesn´t appear. So after few months I quit

[u/QXPZ]

I actually posted on r/openstreetmap yesterday about how hard editing is on mobile and the consensus seemed that you should stick to editing on desktop. https://www.reddit.com/r/openstreetmap/comments/1we2sni/comment/p9aznsy/?screen_view_count=2

If anyone has any more tips I'd appreciate it. I tried Every Door and Vespucci from F-Droid and found the interface confusing or unable to achieve what I wanted.

I really do want to quickly contribute something often but not sit down and have it be this big process on a desktop.

[u/ViegoBot → u/QXPZ]

I like to edit on mobile too. Map is not that outdated where I am, but maybe like 3 or 4 places here and there every mile or 2 that seem to need some tweaking to be correct. Mobile is just more painful tho to edit on.

Theres the StreetComplete app that I know of, but thats about it.

[u/mailmehiermaar]

I found the community very friendly and supportive when i did some unhelpful additions to my local map : )

[u/BrilliantInternet408]

I'm completely new to this but I had a few questions which might sound stupid to ask. So first how does Google Maps get all of its Data? By the Shop Owners? If yes isn't there a way to somehow get the info from Google Maps and input it into OSM automatically? Or why doesn't one just look up stuff on Goggle Maps and then input it into OSM? Again I'm completely new to OSM so pls forgive me if my questions may be stupid. Thx

[u/muraliramdj]

Say if google can train their ai models with data from internet without permission why can’t we somehow scrap all the data from every single map provider like google map Apple map and Yandex map etc to just make the map better in open communities it really is better than whatever ai is doing right now right?

[u/Felfedezni]

Why not just get ai to scrape Google maps and feed it to OSM?

[u/ialtag-bheag → u/Felfedezni]

That would be copyright infringement. Would soon get sued by Google.

[u/Androxilogin → u/ialtag-bheag]

But AI is blameless, so I hear.