The problem

I noticed that the standard/default osm-map does not show a lot of things that are in the map-database.

Examples:
* Shops - only a few are rendered so far: bakery, florist, hairdresser, clothes, bikes, DIY and supermarket
* Ambulance-stations
* Emergency-Phones (but regular phones are shown)
* Bike-Parking
* Benches, waste-baskets
* Flagposts
* Fountains / Artwork
* Rocks / Boulders (e.g. with memorials / engravings on them) * Clocks / sundials
* …

Other users also noticed, and there are various entries under questions:
* shop appears only in edit mode
* Store Name Not Visible On Map
* more icons going to be available for additional types of shop…
* …

The usual “answers” / excuses go something like * “we cannot show everything”,
* “icons are missing”, * “you can make your own map if you like”. etc.
I think that is not the way to get ahead…

The standard map has to be at least as useful to the average map-user as google-maps, to get any traction.
Maperitive and Tilemill might be fine, but I don’t want my own nice map, I want nice maps for everyone.
Also, I don’t see the average map-user, looking for a shoe-shop / ambulance-station / emergency-phone etc. saying “great map, I can do the missing stuff myself” :)

I rather suspect the average map-user does not want a map-construction-set, he wants to see his shop / POI / whatever NOW. If he doesn’t find what he need, NOW, on the STANDARD-MAP, he wil most likely go back to googlemaps / bingmaps / mapquest / whatever –> another wasted good first impression.

The ability to do your own maps with OSM is a bonus, but not the most frequent use-case.

Telling people about special-purpose maps, or “you need an account” etc. is also the wrong way to show them how great OSM is.
For the average map-user, if something is not reachable from the frontpage, with max. 2-3 clicks, it effectively doesn’t exist.

The goal

… See full entry