I finally wrote about OpenStreetMap on my personal blog, so here’s the link:

In the Beginning There Was a Node

---

On a related note, I am using OpenStreetMap data for all my navigation needs.

I got quite impressed with MapFactor Navigator Android application which seems to have the most up-to-date maps so far and does not have the redraw issues of OsmAnd. Yes, I know, OsmAnd is opensource, but I am not that versed in Android development. Eraser Map Beta seems to be progressing nicely, even though it likes to repeat the turn-by-turn instruction very quickly and several times. I have a list of the applications I tested in the blog post above, and I am preparing detailed reviews for each one.

Now, here’s the thing that bothers me - OpenStreetMap is updated every second. Any navigation application that lags behind for more than a month or two raises a question of business continuity and infrastructure readiness. If an application vendor claims they release the updated maps only when they release a new version of an application, does that mean they don’t have an automated import process? Do they have tight coupling of map data and business logic? If a vendor does not tell about the update schedule, is that application even worth considering to be used as a daily driver?

On an unrelated note, Boston, MA address import is stuck awaiting for City of Boston response of any sort, and since I am no longer in Boston, I am updating a different town, Farmington Hills, MI.