To be fair to the Skobbler user, the report would have made perfect sense in their context. It is the application that needs to be much clearer on the kind of detail required (or have an optional feature to upload the entire route for this purpose).

Regarding rejecting reports, Andy Allan reports (on talk-gb) that there is now a "default description" flag that can optionally be used to suppress such bugs (and P2 soon will):

http://gis.638310.n2.nabble.com/Re-Address-information-in-MapDust-bugs-td6060358.html

@Chaos99 - it is true that most bugs would need to be checked out on the ground, but there are occasional exceptions - as alexz says, it can be worth looking at the ways around the bug for any obvious errors (such as broken junctions) that may have caused the poor routing.

The same blogger's critique of OSM can be found here:

http://www.41latitude.com/post/1310985699/openstreetmap-critique

and here:

http://www.41latitude.com/post/1349685626/openstreetmap-critique-2

It sparked considerable discussion on the mailing lists:

http://gis.638310.n2.nabble.com/Response-to-A-critique-of-OpenStreetMap-td5635020.html#a5635484

http://gis.638310.n2.nabble.com/Highway-Tagging-Consensus-to-Improve-OSM-and-address-some-of-41-latitude-s-concerns-td5639384.html

http://gis.638310.n2.nabble.com/A-UK-perspective-on-the-41Latitude-article-td5689937.html

In fact the blogger felt move to respond to some of the emails he received:

http://www.41latitude.com/post/1313261274/osm-response

@alexz. Thanks for the tip on the low pass filter. I'll give it a go (though I suspect it may not be enough).

@SamatJain. Happy to post another format once I've re-recorded.

@l!l. I will post up once I have re-recorded

Wow! Never mind GPS surveys, if the author is right, they have outlawed just about all unlicensed GIS activity - even tracing orthophotos! I am not surprised when I hear suggestions OSM could be illegal in China, but _Florida_?

Would the ref key be of any use to you for recording the numbers?

ref=*

I suppose the only issue would be if any of the roads are also part of a numbered route. loc_ref or reg_ref?

I just get "Page not found". Have you removed them?

Use the cuisine tag

cuisine=chinese
cuisine=pizza
cuisine=vegetarian
etc

cuisine=*

@Andrew - I don't think anyone is threatening to remove OS Street View data. Rather, a number of people have raised concerns about whether its licence is compatible with (a) ODBL and (b) the new contributor terms. The Licence Working Group are looking at this issue with the lawyers, and taking lots of suggestions from mappers on board. If I understand correctly, there are several ways in which this issue might be resolved .

I am saddened that the planned relicensing has dampened your enthusiasm. Is it a problem with the new licence, or the simply the fact that there are heated discussions about the potential ramifications of this change, that is worrying you? If it is the latter I think it is important to note that there are very strongly expressed views on both sides from a tiny minority of the mappers out there. It is easy to get the impression from the mailing lists that the project is being torn asunder by these discussions, when actually most people are probably just getting on with mapping as before.

In the end, the relicensing will either happen or it won't, and whichever is the result, things should calm down after that and the project will move on (in my humble opinion).

@drlizau - apologies for using your diary entry as a discussion board!

Please don't spam your own diary.

These diaries are intended to give people the opportunity to write about their mapping on OSM, not an advertising board.

Forgive my confusion, but it seems to me that the numbers quoted on http://neis-one.org/2010/11/23/short-update/ do relate to existing mappers only. The figures come from here:

http://planet.openstreetmap.org/users_agreed/users_agreed.txt

And this list specifically excludes mappers who have joined OSM since agreeing to the CTs became mandatory for new sign-ups. This list stands at around 4,800 today.

If I understand your equation correctly, then plugging in the 4,800 figure would give April 2011. Of course, that assumes everyone will eventually agree to the new CTs, and you have not stated the basis of that assumption (so I'll have to take your word for it).

Of course, what we don't have figures for is the rate at which those specific 12,500 mappers are signing up. But, it seems that should not be too difficult to calculate from the data available.

The best resource we currently have that takes account of volume of contributions is:

http://matt.dev.openstreetmap.org/treemap.png

I wonder how many people do this and then don't post a diary comment about it.

Perhaps we need really prominent warnings about this particular issue the first time you start JOSM or Potlatch? Just a thought.

There is a helpful article on this topic here:

http://weait.com/content/control-appearance-your-business-openstreetmap

Particularly helpful if you want a map on your own website with your company logo on.

I saw this one in real life before I realised it was a news story. A sign specifically telling truck drivers to ignore their sat nav. I like the symbols.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-478073/Council-erects-sign-tells-drivers-Dont-trust-satnav.html

Welcome!

Have you discovered the wiki

osm.wiki/Main_Page

The Beginners Guide is really worth a read, as it's not always obvious to begin with how to go about things, as it sounds like you're discovering!

And if you'd prefer to watch some videos:

osm.wiki/Video_tutorials

These are not very polished, but the Potlatch one is well worth watching if you plan to use Potlatch (the editor you access by clicking the "edit" tab). (Other editors are available.)

Welcome to OSM! All of the advice given above seems sound to me. In addition, I would suggest making contact with the Australian OSM community by joining the Australian mailing list:

http://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk-au

I'm sure folks there will be able to tell you whether any previous approaches have been made to state mapping agencies, and also maybe give you an idea of whether there is any hope!

However, data imports are a controversial topic within the OSM community. There is no consensus on how useful they are, but as some of the comments above hint, there is a near consensus that they are not useful in isolation (even strong advocates recognise the need for a community on the ground to correct, update and add value to the data). Above all, OSM is about volunteers actually surveying and mapping what is on the ground themselves. The Big Hairy Audacious Goal is to create the most awesome map in the whole world, of the whole world. I'm sure the guys at talk-au will give you the local perspective on this issue.

You might also find the Australia wiki page a useful resource:

osm.wiki/WikiProject_Australia

The comparison links make very interesting viewing, as does the TomTom online route finder, which has just directed me through the very same reservoir:

http://routes.tomtom.com/route/Capilla%252C%2520ES%254038.82046%252C-5.08428%2540-1/Chill%25C3%25B3n%252C%2520ES%254038.79689%252C-4.86701%2540-1/?leave=now&traffic=true¢https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:er=38.810934355592%2C-5.030878306885&zoom=10&map=basic

I have to agree with you regarding JOSM presets: tagging the colour of a bench really does take the biscuit.

I have followed the import vs. no import debate with interest, and have never been hard-line in either direction. I am grateful for both of these parables as they give me a much better understanding of where some of those pushing these positions come from.

Although I have what might be called a professional job, it is unrelated to geography. In the geo field, therefore, I regard myself as an unskilled individual. So, I am interested in where the others in the project see me fitting in.

One parable seems to suggest a good way of spending my spare time is to try my hand at a craft hitherto only attempted by trained professionals. Although the results may be a little inconsistent, I will be creating something unique. Hopefully others will benefit from my work, though some may decide that my work is not of a consistently high enough precision, and choose to stick to using the work of professionals. Although I will be unpaid for my efforts, I will undoubtedly benefit as I slowly gain skills I did not have before, and have fun, too.

The other parable seems to suggest that a good way to spend my spare time is to become a machine operator in a cardboard box factory for no money.

Seriously though, I think the choice of analogy does say a lot about the differing philosophical positions (well, almost) on what the project is all about. So, thanks to Andy and Andrzej.

Good stuff. Looks great.

Some reviews of my own GPS logger (iBlue 747A+, based on MTK chipset) say that it is not well calibrated for walking. If this is true (and I've no idea whether it is), some units may actually get worse results walking, but no doubt others might get better results. I use mine while walking in spite of this, but I seem to get the best results of all cycling. I'd echo what others have said about not worrying too much, though.

However, your final statement is true in general - much more fun doing your surveys on foot (or bicycle) than driving.