OpenStreetMap
After plowing through copyright agreements for other map services, and after having numerous connection problems to the USGS National Map Viewer, I’ve decided to use OSM maps on my website. I doubt very much that the traffic generated to my site would be enough to be billed by Google or Bing, but considering the former’s attitudes towards privacy, billing, and other issues, I would much rather contribute to an open project such as this.
After viewing map tiles for my area, I can see places which still need to be listed, but it’ll be awhile before I feel advanced enough in my OSM studies to be able to contribute. I downloaded the latest version of JOSM and have been practicing, but I still need improvement.
I guess my biggest fear is that I’ll wreck someone else’s work with my ignorance, or post something that is wrong that I won’t be able to correct.
Discussion
Comment from iandees on 23 June 2012 at 21:21
Welcome to OSM! I’m glad your first reaction was to hop in and give it a try. The great thing about OSM is that there’s always someone available to help you if you feel like you’ve done something wrong, so keep experimenting and adding detail to the map. The list of your edits so far look perfect: exactly the thing OSM needs.
As it turns out, I live over in Evanston and am planning on having a get-together in downtown Chicago sometime in the next couple weeks with a few other local mappers. Would you be interested in such a thing? I’ll probably have it at 1871 in the Merchandise Mart just north of the loop. You could get there pretty easily on the Metra.
Comment from malenki on 24 June 2012 at 11:20
Reading about how you care not to spread havoc and prefer the maybe harder-to-use open source to smoother running closed source it seems you have the best attitude to be a great contributor.
OSM is a very wide field to learn and work at if you have a deeper look, but don’t get discouraged. :)
In case you really should make a faulty edit: ask immediately for a revert at help.osm.org or on http://irc.osm.org/
Welcome to OSM! malenki
Comment from robert on 24 June 2012 at 15:33
And remember, we are able to revert your edit if you get something horribly wrong.
If you like, make an edit and then ask someone (either on your diary or in irc or help.openstreetmap.org) to check it out for sanity.
Comment from Sanderd17 on 24 June 2012 at 16:34
In a lot of cases, features are quite country specific. Like “how do I tag this interstate road?”. It’s a bit difficult to estimate the size of an “interstate road” in America when you live in Europe.
In those cases, it will be best to check out the conventions of your country or state: osm.wiki/Illinois
And if something is unclear, it might be good to contact your local mailing list: osm.wiki/Mailing_lists
Someone local might also be better to fix some things when something went wrong (and you could even gather in real life).
I almost forgot the most important message: have fun!
Happy mapping, Sander
Comment from Tom Layo on 25 June 2012 at 15:23
The default editor is easier to use than JOSM. Save often, so you can bail out if you’re not so sure of your last edits. I think this won’t be a problem for you. Don’t forget the UNDO key, “Z” does the same. “Map Features” is priceless osm.wiki/Map_Features.
Welcome and all the best to you!
Comment from riverpaddler on 5 July 2012 at 02:23
Thanks much for everyone’s welcome & encouragement; it’s greatly appreciated.
I think I’ll take Tom Layo’s advice and concentrate on using Potlatch 2, rather than JOSM. I still encounter horrid error messages with JOSM from time to time when I prepare to upload, but I question whether they are critical -based on the statement that they may be disregarded.
I learn best by watching others and still have quite a few questions. If anyone in the Chicago suburbs has 60-90 minutes to spend as my tutor, I’d be happy to make the drive with my laptop to a bar or restaurant with public wifi in your area and keep the pitchers of beer coming or pop for dinner.
Thanks all. -Jeff