I want to know how many contributions the number 1 contributor (and other contributors as well) in my country has but I can’t seem to find it anywhere.
I want to know how many contributions the number 1 contributor (and other contributors as well) in my country has but I can’t seem to find it anywhere.
Does that seem high, or low?
To me, it seems low. Under 150 people mapping such a large country with over 40 million people in it? I honestly thought it would be thousands, but i guess that illustrates just how valuable the work of a few can be.
OSM is not popular in Canada, partially due to a vicious cycle where there isn’t enough information filled in so people don’t use it so nobody contributes. I used it because in my old city the map was basically perfect (I think it was imported from City data,) and I had no data plan so I needed offline maps.
After I moved I noticed that the map was incomplete so I started contributing again. There are around 5 names in my area that I see contributing on a nearly daily basis. That might not seem like much, but I’ve singlehandedly nearly finished my neighborhood’s buildings and sidewalks in the last two months.
Still, get your friends into it. I showed a friend of mine who bikes OrganicMaps after Google Maps routed him on a 4" wide dirt footpath in the dark one night. He was sold right away when I showed him that he can search for water fountains. Another friend of mine loved how detailed OSM was compared to Google Maps and switched as well, and now they help me with Street Complete sometimes. Every bit helps.
I mean, there are some pretty major services that use OSM data, like Garmin, so I think people are using the maps without knowing how/where the data comes from, or that they can even contribute to it.
If it comes up in conversation, I always tell people about OSM and how much better stuff like cycling data is on it compared to Google Maps.
But yeah, we need more people, for sure. I finished adding the remaining 90% of missing buildings to my municipality earlier this year (one website says I added over 30,000 buildings!), and I’m already moving onto the next one. My goal is to have the entire region mapped (buildings) so it’s just a bit more useful to someone who wants to use OSM-reliant mapping programs.
And I think it’s awesome to map small details (like those water fountains), which I’ve been trying to do every time I’m out. Toilets, water fountains, and even shelter from rain are things that very few other maps provide details on.
I don’t know a single person with a dedicated GPS anymore except sailors. Everyone uses Google Maps.
I focus on the small details when I’m out walking. I have the advanced version of Street Complete and I add every single bike rack, water fountain, phone booth, charging station, mail drop box, etc, that I see. It’s so convenient to be able to find these things when I need them later, and I’m sure other people will appreciate it as well.
Yeah, by Garmin, I didn’t mean car GPS (although, I do still think they make them!) but more bike computers and fitness watches, which include route mapping, tracking, etc. They offer OSM and Google Maps, depending on your preference. 😀
Those small details are what makes a map more useful, so keep at it! I use OSM Go! for quick stuff while on the run, since most other solutions seem to take more time. When possible, I also snap a photo (with a GPS tag) and later add whatever it is that I saw, if it’s a more complex feature.
I’m glad that so many tools exist! It really does make things easier for those who map.