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Diary Entries in English

Recent diary entries

Posted by Nikhil R R on 4 October 2024 in English.

Attending State of the Map 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya, was an unforgettable experience that deepened my understanding of mapping and the OpenStreetMap community. It was truly inspiring to be part of such a vibrant and passionate group of mappers and contributors from 54 countries. The sessions on community capacity building, disaster recovery and response, and conservation have reinvigorated my commitment to OpenStreetMap. I’m grateful to the community for supporting our initiatives on Pudussery Panchayat Mapping and the creation of a spatial flood asset database. Special thanks to OSMF for the State of the Map 2024 Travel Grant. I’m excited to continue contributing and collaborating with this amazing community. Here’s to more mapping adventures ahead!

Location: City Centre sublocation, Starehe location, CBD division, Starehe, Nairobi, Nairobi County, Kenya

On December 5th, 2017, I joined Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team with the goal of making a tangible impact. Over the years, my curiosity on the HOT Tasking Manager grew, and I found myself increasingly drawn to OpenStreetMap (OSM). At first, I was overwhelmed with how to become more active and create more impact, but I soon discovered that my love for and working on the computer was my gateway. Contributing to OSM quickly became an addiction, a way to relax, a therapeutic outlet when I was feeling tired or frustrated.

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osm.org/relation/15736220 What to do against these deletion? I know, you’d said “oh, just revert the changes”. Teoretically you’d be right …. teoretically

Dealing with these long relation it’s not easy, unless you keep monitored and act in the first hours or in a few days

I’ll try to fix it

osm.wiki/Asia/Asian_Highway_Network

Posted by notd3nny on 27 September 2024 in English. Last updated on 25 November 2024.

On November 13, 2023, Miami-Dade County’s transit agency, Miami-Dade Transit, implemented significant changes to its bus network - designated the “Better Bus Network.” These updates aimed to enhance coverage for neighborhoods and business districts that primarily serve lower-income residents. As a result, many routes and stops were altered, relocated, or removed.

To the best of my knowledge, much of Miami’s transit data on OSM was originally contributed by user drynwk around 2021. Most of their contributions have remained untouched for nearly three years, despite the major changes from the Better Bus Network almost a year ago.

Miami-Dade Transit has provided updated transit information to platforms like Google Maps, Apple Maps, and likely other GIS services. I believe it’s essential that OSM volunteers also have access to this data. To that end, I’ll be making an effort to obtain the relevant information from Miami-Dade Transit and share it with the OSM community here in Miami.

In addition, I plan to update the bus route relations on OSM to reflect the new route names, ideally matching the official names used by Miami-Dade Transit across their buses, maps, and app. I’ll also be reaching out to request the correct route names for accuracy.

Edit: On November 25, 2024, there will be another revamp to the Better Bus Network. These service adjustments will affect most routes, and as such, will postpone my project.

Location: Kendall, Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Posted by Venefilyn on 26 September 2024 in English.

Hi all!

I’m Freya and been a contributor since April 2024. I’ve since then noticed there is a lack of diversity that covers different groups of people to make them feel welcome or drive questions as a team rather than as spread out individuals here and there

We will not be doing work that Local Chapters and Communities Working Group is already doing, instead we will be working towards highlighting ways to be inclusive, organizing projects to increase accessibility in specific areas, or just hosting a friendly place for people to chat in!

To start with I’ve setup a wiki page containing what exactly the goal is and how we will work, and my plan is to develop this initiative as time goes on and more people get interested

We also use the Contributor Covenant v2.1 as our Code of Conduct

No projects setup yet but in the plans to organize an event soon! :pray:

Here’s a few resources I’ve setup for now

Working mainly in Africa it’s not rare to come across to crowdsourced powered mapped areas. I still repair, from time to time, the disaster done in 2022 in Mogadishu

Today, near Bor osm.org/#map=17/6.178444/31.578194 , another masterpiece: a lot of triangular (one 2600 sqm trapezoidal) buildings, and 3 tourism=camp_site

Who does need this rubbish? How good the validator to the related HOT task worked?

Alessandro

Location: Bor, Bor South, Jonglei, South Sudan

Hello fellow mappers! 👋

As an avid contributor to OpenStreetMap, I’ve found that having quick access to helpful resources can make the mapping process smoother and more enjoyable. Whether you’re mapping disaster-stricken areas 🌪️ or filling in the gaps for unmapped communities 🏞️, these resources will help you along the way.

Here are some key tools and resources that have been invaluable for me during my mapping journey:


🔑 OSM Resources for Mappers

  1. OpenStreetMap Wiki
    A comprehensive resource on all things OSM, including documentation, tagging guidelines, and community projects.
    ➡️ OSM Wiki

  2. LearnOSM
    If you’re new to mapping, this guide is an excellent starting point. It covers the basics and also includes more advanced tutorials for improving your mapping skills.
    ➡️ Learn OSM

  3. HOT Tasking Manager
    If you want to contribute to humanitarian mapping projects, the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) Tasking Manager helps you find tasks related to disaster response and global development.
    ➡️ HOT Tasking Manager

  4. iD Editor
    A simple web-based editor that’s perfect for beginners. You can edit maps directly in your browser without the need for external software.
    ➡️ iD Editor

  5. JOSM (Java OpenStreetMap Editor)
    A more advanced desktop editor for OSM, offering powerful features for experienced mappers who want to work on larger projects.
    ➡️ JOSM Editor ➡️ JOSM Download
  6. Mapillary
    This tool lets you access street-level imagery for places where map data might be missing or outdated. It integrates well with OSM for adding detail to map features.
    ➡️ Mapillary

  7. Overpass Turbo
    A query tool for filtering specific OSM data, helping you search for, and visualize, map features based on tags or location.
    ➡️ Overpass Turbo

  8. OSMCha
    A tool for reviewing changesets and helping to ensure map quality. It’s great for monitoring edits and improving the accuracy of mapping data.
    ➡️ OSMCha

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Join the Community

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Posted by Muluba on 26 September 2024 in English.

Texte alternatif

I really wanted to participate in the State of the Map 2024 in Kenya to broaden my horizons, understand what is happening under other skies and exchange with members of other communities to draw from their experience: How they are organized and how they stay dynamic. My illusions found a dazzling light, from the moment the scholarship team accepted my application. I was so happy like my wedding day. 😃

The 3 days were each particularly better, the different subjects selected were breathtaking

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Posted by Supaplex on 25 September 2024 in English.

I am happy to receive the HOT Open Summit scholarship to attend the State of the Map 2024 held in Kenya. I can give a lecture on-site. But unfortunately, I got influenza and felt very ill during my trip to Kenya. Most of the time I have to stay in bed. So sad I can’t join the meeting during the conference.

on site (Photo credit: Arnalie)

I had to skip the first day of the conference in the first day due to illness. But I feel better the second day. The conference was held in the hall in Nairobi Tower, University of Nairobi, which is quite comfortable for all of us attendees. This is my third State of the Map, the second time in person.

It seems that the conference was held in Africa and quite a distance from most of the OpenStreetMap contributors. There is a much smaller size compared to other years’ State of the Map conference. It is still a very valuable experience. Face-to-face communication is still the most effective way to communicate between OpenStreetMap contributors.

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Location: City Centre sublocation, Starehe location, CBD division, Starehe, Nairobi, Nairobi County, Kenya

SotM 2024 scholars group photo

With my State of the Map Working Group - communications hat 👒 , one thing that really put a smile on my face is checking the stats of scholarships given! 😍

Quick stats re scholars from the OSMF SotM WG & Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team #HOTOpenSummit Travel Grant Programs:

  • 💻 10 online scholars
  • ✈ 50 in-person scholars
  • 🌍 🌎 🌏 from 27 countries
  • 💛 💜 24 women : 36 men
  • 1️⃣ 80% attended their first #StateoftheMap conference!
  • plus 29 🎟 were given for free!

I cannot express enough how amazing it feels to see this stats. As someone who got exposed more to OpenStreetMap community after attending her first global SotM conference six years ago (my diary here), this gave me much hope and encouragement that we’re building an inclusive map and community 🗺 🤝

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Posted by Calvin Menttor on 23 September 2024 in English. Last updated on 22 October 2024.

Come closer and let’s have a quick, impactful conversation…

Hear me out. As a student, there are countless opportunities you can tap into, especially when it comes to personal and professional growth and one of the best social clubs to join is YouthMappers.

Imagine being part of a global movement where university students like you are trained free of charge to use powerful mobile mapping apps and software, contributing directly to sustainable development. It’s not just about learning new skills—it’s about making our communities visible, especially those that are too often overlooked. Before Project But wait, here’s the real question: How committed, dedicated, and ready are you to volunteer and contribute to OpenStreetMap? 🤔 It’s more than mapping—it’s about creating change, ensuring no place is left behind, and bringing solutions to real-world problems.

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Location: Okponglo, Legon, Accra, Ayawaso West Municipal District, Greater Accra Region, Ghana
Posted by Calvin Menttor on 23 September 2024 in English.

Giving back to the community has been the focus. On 26_07_24, I had the opportunity to meet the UMaT YouthMappers chapter while attending the 5th WAIMM Students Conference (an annual 3-day conference). I introduced YouthMappers, the basics of JOSM, and OpenStreetMap, especially to the chapter’s ‘youngies’, and explained who we are and what we do. I also shared some success stories to vindicate the benefits of YM, such as broadening interpersonal geospatial knowledge, connecting and networking with like-minded individuals, and belonging to a community of youth who are mappers. We swiftly discussed Mapillary and how it complements JOSM data validation, and also what it takes for a chapter to be sustainable.

Link to the Facebook post with attached images: (https://web.facebook.com/CalvinMenttor/posts/pfbid0NRFz1kToPUASQdr8VQksd1yfduot5jDB8FtoHUns7oNWunagQ3F5e8yfHcFfHhinl)

Location: Government Hill, Tarkwa, Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal District, Western Region, Ghana
Posted by Calvin Menttor on 23 September 2024 in English.

On March 15th and 16th, OpenStreetMap Ghana (Sir Mawutor) and I visited UCC YouthMappers to familiarize them with how to fly a drone to map and to also map with Mapillary. It turned out to be an excellent result—a massive turnout. Appreciation to Dr. Julia (the Patron) and Dr. Mensah (the GIS lecturer) for creating an enabling environment for the Chapter and to the vibrant TEAM for rendering voluntary service to the membership. This is far-reaching. 🗺️🤌🏾

Link to the facebook post: (https://web.facebook.com/CalvinMenttor/posts/pfbid0SVoqAjDeEgqpPNrt2AS6yyerh3ZnMYH31x25LFaXsGBe5iV3N71dRuF5Ke2VSXrXl)

Location: Apewosika, Cape Coast, Cape Coast Metropolitan District, Central Region, Ghana
Posted by Calvin Menttor on 23 September 2024 in English. Last updated on 21 October 2024.

I am grateful to YouthMappers for providing me with the knowledge and abilities that would enable me to impact and transform deprived communities and contribute to sustainable development. 52 students, 26 countries, and 49 academic institutions—it was incredible to meet these young future leaders who are enthusiastic, passionate, and have the zeal for change through this inspiring leadership summit in Jamaica.

Big thanks to everyone who helped make the summit a success, including the speakers, navigators, photographers, and event planners. I have learned a lot in addition to mapping by learning about the traditions of my fellow nations and dispelling certain misconceptions about Jamaica, the host nation.

I would again like to thank YouthMappers for giving me international exposure. This built my confidence as a change-ready youth leader. I appreciate the recognition.

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Location: Mount Zion, Saint James, Cornwall County, Jamaica

Once upon a time a bunch of people decided to start collecting informative bits about stuff they‘re concerned with into a geo-referenced database. They mapped streets – hence the name of their experiment – and also PoIs. Records consist of a so-called tags, key-value pairs. In hindsight tags are differentiated into a primary tag, a.k.a. the substance/essence and a number of secondary tags, a.k.a. the attributes. There‘d be e.g. highway=secondary; name=Abbey Road.

One of those days, somebody noticed a problem: They wanted to map a so-called shared-space, where pedal cycles and pedestrians both allowed and traffic sings put up to show that intention. One solution might have been to tag a highway=cycleway;footway. Thereby turning the right hand side of the tag into a list. This looked ugly, a tag no longer would code for a 1:1 relation but a 1:n relation. Users of the data do not like that.

Some pondering later, the idea was born: Put the function/use/arbitrary detail of the mapped entity into the attributes where they can merrily coexist. foot=designated; bicycle=designated should from now on convey what previously was told by the primary tag. Only problem left: What would be the substance then? It must be something generic, something that provides as little information as possible over what the highway key already contains.

This marked the inception of highway=path as a light and unspecific shim over highway. All it says: It is probably narrow (But don‘t depend on that.) You likely will not see cars moving there. (With few exceptions.)

So they married, and everyone lived happily ever after.

Location: West Kilburn, Maida Hill, London, Greater London, England, W9 3EB, United Kingdom