Ok, following on from my earlier writing, I can confirm that I have installed and tried capturing data with both the SmartRoadSense and Roadroid Android applications, on my Pixel 6. Both apps had good points, and ‘areas for development’. I was only able to capture data, submit it, and see it on a map, with Roadroid. My understanding is that I can’t do this with SmartRoadSense, because the app infrastructure is currently dormant, due to EU funding coming to an end, but I understand from the devs, that they are about to reinvigorate the project.

Lars Forslof (Roadroid) is doing some excellent work with his propriety solution, but I think the nature of his objectives, are business oriented, and enables a ‘customer’ to request survey coverage for a defined area, which is then coordinated, at a financial cost.

My main questions/ thoughts now, are:

1. Is road surface data useful to anyone? I would suggest it is useful for deciding on routing, and can be used under open source terms, to enable interested bodies, such as highway/ local authorities to have an initial understanding of where surfaces don’t meet a required standard.
2. Is OSM the right place to record the values?
3. Can the open source community encourage the good people at SmartRoadSense to work with us, or do we need to create a new app, with infrastructure? The algorithm used to process the data is currently closed source. My preference would be to work with SmartRoadSense, and have a backlog of potential improvements, hosted on GitHub https://github.com/SmartRoadSense
4. Encourage interested users to install the SmartRoadSense APK, and to give feedback at the GitHub address. The app didn’t appear in Play Store, in the UK on a Pixel 6, so I’ve used APK https://m.apkpure.com/smartroadsense/it.uniurb.smartroadsense
5. I will write to the SmartRoadSense devs, to highlight these thoughts.

What is needed (Requirements capture)? (MoSCoW)

M= Must Have S= Should Have C= Could Have W= Won’t Have

… See full entry

OSM supports really complex opening times, apparently.

This node, a roof-top bar in Stratford, London is opening on the 20th of April. The following are the opening times per their website:

• April 20th to April 30th : Thursdays to Fridays 5pm- 11pm, Saturdays-Sundays 12-11pm
• May 1st- May 14th: Wednesdays to Fridays 5pm- 11pm, Saturdays-Sundays 12-11pm, Bank Holidays 12-11pm
• May 15th- end of September: Tuesdays to Fridays 5pm- 11pm, Saturdays-Sundays 12-11pm, Bank Holidays 12-11pm

The opening_time value I came up with is this:

Apr 20-30 Sa-Su 12:00-23:00; May-Sep Sa-Su 12:00-23:00; Apr 20-30 Th-Fr 17:00-23:00; May 01-14 We-Fr 17:00-23:00; May 15-31 Tu-Fr 17:00-23:00; Jun-Sep Tu-Fr 17:00-23:00; Oct-Dec off; Apr 20-30 PH 12:00-23:00; May-Sep PH 12:00-23:00

It also helped that there exists a handy tool that can visualise complex opening_time values.

I am looking forward to seeing how OSMAnd handles this when it eventually gets the updated node.

Hi all! I’m writing this new post to show a recent mapping that I’ve done on an industrial facility. In this case, I worked on a crucial headquarters of Petronas International, located near Turin (between the municipality of Santena and Villastellone).

The facility has been in that place for a long time but in the recent year the company built here the new global research centre so, under the pretext to add the new building, I mapped with care the facility.

That the result of my work:

Before

After

… See full entry

To support organizations that use OpenStreetMap data for disaster response, the HOT Data Team is strengthening our data quality and fitness measures.

Several teams at HOT, including the Data Team, Technology & Innovation Team, and the Regional Hubs, are collaborating to develop resources, tools, skill sharing, and community feedback mechanisms that will be avenues for data creators and data users to collaborate to improve OpenStreetMap data quality.

Data Team:

The HOT Data Team presented the top 10 data quality issues in a lightning talk at State of the Map 2022 in Florence. We categorize these data quality issues into three main categories:

Semantic Accuracy

• Tagging
• Tasking Manager project consistencies

Positional Accuracy

• Spatial offsets
• Feature tracing inconsistencies
• Logical consistencies of map features

Completeness

• Temporal inconsistencies
• Road network inconsistencies
• Completeness of health facilities
• Completeness of public service data for sustainable communities
• Administrative boundaries

The Data Team is also defining use cases and data quality metrics. Measuring data quality starts with identifying core datasets for each of our impact areas. Examples include highways and health facilities for Public Health, water & sanitation, transportation, and education for Sustainable Cities & Communities, and waterways, buildings, and highways for Disasters & Climate Resilience.

We then evaluated the use cases and the metrics for assessing the quality of each dataset, enabling us to identify ways of improving data quality.

Technology & Innovation Team:

Technology & Innovation Team is implementing automated tools for measuring OpenStreetMap data quality.

… See full entry

Lately I’ve been going for field survey day in day out. These day I spend most of my time on field survey using maps for field verification, collection of Point of interest (POI) data, land use zoning and obviously for public participatory mapping. Since 2018, there is no day that I had not worked or engaged with map. After I was introduced to this beautiful and addictive OpenStreetMap (OSM), I became a consistent OSM Mapper and a volunteer. While looking back, I felt I made right choice engaging in the field of OSM. From beginner curious mapper to Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOTOSM) Global Validator & being HOTOSM & OpenStreetMap Foundation(OSMF) Voting member, I’ve came a long way.

… See full entry

Upon attempting to upload a new changeset, I received an error on iD. I don’t know what it means but it has an error code of 400 so it should be a server issue. Does anyone know what to do here? Will I have to start over?

I tried looking through the Help page but it’s hard to find what I’m looking for.

I think I am not the only one to find this matter confusing. The one clear and authoritative source of information is a pdf, in Russian language and Cyrillic alphabet only: http://www.caiga.ru/DocAni/manual_of_4_letter_indexes/Indexes_of_Airports.pdf ; it is regularly updated.

There are three columns of codes:

• local “civilian” code, usually beginning with ‘У’, which transcribes to U

• local code for “state” airfield, which includes military terrains, codes usually begin with a ‘Ь’ character, which transcribes to ‘X’

• “international” code, given in Latin alphabet, corresponds to ICAO

Aerodromes of mixed military/civilian use will have the first and second columns filled out; or, if they have international status, all three. UHSS Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is an example.

Thanks to mapper Mazda05 for patiently explaining!

PS local_ref beginning with Z or H are not official, they seem to be empirically assigned by maps.aopa.ru (which I often consult, though its information is not always perfect). Better an unofficial ref than none at all, in my opinion.

I’ve released a new version of tilemaker, the command-line utility that takes OpenStreetMap data in .osm.pbf format and makes vector tiles out of it.

It’s now between 45% and 85% faster - you’ll notice the difference particularly in places with complex multipolygon geometries. Memory usage is reduced, particularly in the polar regions. Plus it’s compatible with Geofabrik’s new CC0 “Shortbread” schema for vector tiles.

https://github.com/systemed/tilemaker

Yes, I am..i love Geography and Locations.. I churned whole Globe and used GPS from Day1

The GNIS matching project I’ve been working on uses a lot of Overpass queries to find things in OSM. At some point during the project, I needed a faster, more reliable Overpass server than the public servers. So I built a local Overpass server as cheaply as I could. It’s working well. This is how you can build one for yourself.

Why Would I Build My Own Overpass Server?

If you’re using the Overpass API for software development, you’re going to be running a lot of queries. You could use a public Overpass instance, but it’s more polite and a lot more efficient to run one locally. Also, public overpass servers have query limits that you may not like. And sometimes they go down or flake out, and then there’s nothing you can do but wait until the operators fix them. If you run your own server, your fate is in your own hands!

For most use cases, a cheap local Overpass server can be significantly faster than using one of the public Overpass servers. The setup described here is a lot smaller with a lot less computing power than those big public servers. But it doesn’t have the entire world hammering on it constantly. Also, Overpass queries can return huge amounts of data. The network latency and throughput is a lot better on your own local network segment than if you’re downloading results from halfway across the world.

I’d like to give a special thanks to Kumi Systems for hosting the public Overpass server that I abused until I set up my own server. They’re providing a great service for the OSM community!

Do I Really Want to Do This?

Running an Overpass server is not for the faint of heart. The software is really finicky and not easy to maintain. You need to have some good experience with Linux system administration and the will and patience to deal with things that don’t work the way they’re supposed to.

What’s in this guide?

There are four useful guides to setting up an Overpass server, and you should read all of them:

… See full entry

Projetos disponiveis no maproulette.

https://maproulette.org/

DESAFIOS Procurar

Correção de CEP na Região Nordeste do Brasil para o Padrão Brasileiro = XXXXX-XXX / Correction of CEP in the Northeast Region of Brazil for the Brazilian Standard = XXXXX-XXX umbraosmbr’s Project

Correção de Nomes de Rua que foi mapeado de forma errada em todo Brasil. / Correction of Street Names that were mapped wrongly throughout Brazil. Raphaelkaart’s Project

Correção de CEP para o Formato usado no Brasil - Estado de Pernambuco. / Correction of ZIP Code for the Format used in Brazil - State of Pernambuco. Raphaelkaart’s Project

Correção de CEP para o Formato usado no Brasil - Estado da Paraiba. / Correction of ZIP Code for the Format used in Brazil - State of Paraiba. Raphaelkaart’s Project

Correção de CEP para o Formato usado no Brasil - Estado da Bahia. / Correction of ZIP Code for the Format used in Brazil - State of Bahia. Raphaelkaart’s Project

Inclusão de Nomes de Rua em Vilarejo Ponte Branca no estado de Goías - Brasil / Inclusion of Street Names in Vilarejo Ponte Branca in the state of Goias - Brazil. Raphaelkaart’s Project

Correção de Nomes de Rua em todo Brasil / Correction of Street Names throughout Brazil Brasil - Projetos da UMBRAOSM - União dos Mapeadores Brasileiros do Openstreetmap

Correção de Nomes de Rua em todo Brasil - Part1. / Correction of Street Names throughout Brazil - Part.1 Brasil - Projetos da UMBRAOSM - União dos Mapeadores Brasileiros do Openstreetmap

Correção de Nomes de Rua em todo Brasil - Part2. / Correction of Street Names throughout Brazil - Part.2 Brasil - Projetos da UMBRAOSM - União dos Mapeadores Brasileiros do Openstreetmap

This article is also available in Taiwanese Hokkien / Taigi (台文)

Taiwan is quite a hot topic in the news and geo-political discussion. Recently I read an thead discussing defense plans in the southern part of Pingtong by Taiwan Infantry Command officers on Taiwan BBS PTT military board.

Even though maps are blurred due to the detailed map might have some sensitive military information, it can easily be recognized by the green forest area, that the based maps they use are actually OpenStreetMap. Thanks to the hard-working OpenStreetMap mappers that keep drawing forests in Taiwan.

… See full entry

I asked ChatGPT to create an OpenStreetMap Community Building Playbook, this is what it came up with

Introduction

OpenStreetMap (OSM) is an open-source project that relies on the contributions of volunteers to create and maintain a free and editable map of the world. To build a strong OSM community, it is important to create a framework that promotes engagement, inclusivity, and collaboration. This playbook outlines key strategies for community building that can help OSM communities thrive.

Define your community’s vision:

The first step to building a strong OSM community is to define your community’s vision. What is your community’s mission? What are your goals and objectives? What values do you want to promote? Clarifying these key elements of your community’s identity will help you attract like-minded individuals and organizations.

Identify your community’s strengths and weaknesses:

… See full entry

As a first timer in Albay, I didn’t know what to expect from the Pista ng Mapa and State of the Map Asia 2022. However, as an OpenStreetMap (OSM) enthusiast, attending this event in person was something that I had always looked forward to. The opportunity to network with fellow OSM enthusiasts not just locally but internationally, connect with fellow youth mappers leaders around the Philippines, and travel with my students made this event a great experience.

The opportunity for networking was one of the highlights of the gathering. I had the opportunity to interact and get to know OSM followers from around the globe. Finding out about their exploits and how they used OSM in the various nations they hailed from. It was beneficial for me to be able to discuss ideas and pick up new skills from them.

The opportunity for student attendees to network with other youthmappers from different areas of the Philippines was another important aspect of the event. Meeting other young people who shared enthusiasm for mapping and were in charge of their own mapping initiatives in their various towns was wonderful. We were able to share our challenges, successes, and life lessons in addition to learning from one another.

It was a great bonus that I could go to the event with my students. They had a wonderful experience learning about OSM’s advantages and possible uses for their research and enhancing their own local communities. They had the opportunity to participate in a variety of lectures, workshops, and other activities that advanced their understanding of OSM and its possible uses.

The event was great overall, and the activities offered fascinating insights into the OSM communities around the globe. I appreciate the chance to participate, and I hope to have more opportunities like this in the future.

The new forum “community.osm.org” has been going for a while now, so maybe it’s useful to have a look at how things are going.

There’s obviously lots that goes into creating that forum as a site where people can share ideas - there’s the forum software itself, and the people looking after the technical administration of the site, the migration of the old forum (which has just happened) and the help site (planned for later), the various implementation decisions that got us to here, and also the people looking after content moderation (which is more actively managed than before). Of all of these, this diary entry is really only about the Discourse software itself.

I’ll not comment here about the future migration of https://help.openstreetmap.org/ to Discourse and the work required within Discourse to support that, since it would be unfair to judge something that has not happened yet.

Full disclosure - I’m one of the moderators of a couple of categories in the forum, but this is very much a personal view.

What’s good:

The software is actively maintained, unlike the old FluxBB forum software, or OSQA, which is used for the help site.

It’s working! Some communities that might have been a bit quiet or spread over private forums are now able to talk together much easier than before.

Searching works, with some caveats around the UI (see below for that). This may sound obvious, but mailing lists search at for example talk-gb can be a bit of a pain to use - a page such as this only shows the subject and the name of the poster, not the date of the message.

You can avoid “me too” answers (but see “reaction icons” below).

There’s a translate button on every post that supports the most common languages. This reduces the “echo chamber” effect that some forums had previously (and some other OSM channels still do now).

… See full entry

English below

À l’ordre du jour de la prochaine réunion publique du Board de l’OSMF, le jeudi 30 mars 2023, il est prévu de statuer sur la demande d’utilisation du trademark OSM par la « Fédération des Pros d’OSM - FPOSM », une association française qui regroupe des professionnels et des entreprises travaillant autour d’OpenStreetMap. Cette demande est liée au fait que cette structure professionnelle (dont le site web est accessible ici) intègre OpenStreetMap dans son nom.

J’ai eu l’occasion de discuter avec certains membres de cette fédération et exposer également mon point de vue lors d’une réunion du Conseil d’administration de l’association OpenStreetMap France. Les réponses des membres de la Fédération peuvent se résumer à «  Nous pensons que c’est la meilleure manière de faire avancer les choses », mais sans avancer d’argument valable. Je pense que le nom de cette structure (et non ce qu’elle représente ou cherche à faire) constitue une erreur et une source élevée de risque à deux niveaux :

… See full entry

New mapped area🌍🌲

Last March 4, 2023, the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines YouthMappers celebrated the Open Data Day 2023 with the theme “Empowering AI and Mapping with Open Data: A training-workshop on RapID”. We are very proud to have received a $500 grant from the Open Knowledge Foundation this year to organize Open Data Day 2023. With 40 participants, the training workshop was a tremendous success, and it was encouraging to see that more than half of the attendees were female.

Open Data Day is an annual celebration of open data all over the world. Groups from around the world create local events on the day where they will use open data in their communities. This year’s theme is “Open Data to AI”. With the theme “Open Data to AI” we aim to seek how open data is playing a critical role in the field of AI/ML and other emerging technologies.

… See full entry

Goal:

1. Find a video on the OpenStreetMaps YouTube channel.
2. Download the audio of a talk.
3. Run it through OpenAI’s Whisper.
4. Send the transcript and the source URL to somebody in the OSM Community who has ownership over the OSM YouTube channel.

While you may be able to automate this, I don’t know how to do so.

What you need:

1. GPU (possibly NVIDIA, don’t know). 5gb vram (gpu ram). This might mean RTX 2060 or newer.
2. Strong cooling and noise isolation through building design.

Costs

1. Electricity will create some cost as transcription is hard. Do note that it is still less then the amount needed to power on and train a normal human being on the same task for several years in addition to the quantity of humans needed to get the same throughput.
2. This will result in wear and tare on your drives and other components.
3. This will make your computer and room warm in the summer. You need great cooling or the ability to use the excess heat for something valuable.

Steps:

1. Install Itch.io to assist updating.
2. Install whisper gui frontend by Grisk with Itch.
3. Download audio from a talk (not saying how).
4. Plug it in and get the result.
5. Send the URL of the talk and the transcript to unknownPerson who runs the OSM YouTube Channel in a standard format.

Sample format for an email

Hello noun, This email is to submit a transcript.

talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsaiHhQvNSY model: whisper medium

Disclaimers:

1. I have yet to coordinate with anyone.
2. Human transcript writers are great and needed. They are in short supply. Let us reduce the net demand. They can save their energy for high impact legal and medical environments.
3. Maybe the built in YouTube transcript does the job well enough. This might not be worth the effort. I don’t know.

About a fortnight ago, I went on a walk/ hike starting in the village of Tullahought, Ireland. There were two milk churn stands in the village which caught my eye, because they were restored and used as decorations and to tell the history of dairying in the area, on a small scale anyway. Tullahought milk churn stand, Author: A.-K. D., CC0 Wikicommons

Milk churn stands were used in Ireland (and elsewhere, of course) up to roughly the 1970s. The dairy farmer would leave their full milk churns on them, and someone from the creamery would do their round and pick them all up. They would return the empty churns or churns with skimmed milk in them, sometimes also leaving other purchases from the creamery like flour. It is possible that the milk man left smaller churns on the stands in other countries (judging from photographs of milk churn stands in other countries).

… See full entry