I would like to see a combination (yes, I could work on that myself, but
neither I'm a rails coder, nor do I have the time - sorry ;) ) of a map
and the data.
Observing Kothic.js as a client side rendering engine and some
approaches and ideas towards tile based data delivery I wish we could
have one example map, but a map editor, too on the front page.
Imagine, the front page would load the data you need to display the map
style you decided to view for the area you want to display.
Imagine, you could use checkboxes to add or remove a feature, color
choosers to choose a color and for people who want to, define your very
own styles in a textbox accepting e.g. MapCSS-definitions.
It would probably even be possible to use the
alternative-stylesheet-mechanisms the browsers provide to set up a
client side stylesheet for my personal osm map view.
I know, that's a lot of work. I know, I'm not the one implementing that
(in the next months), and I wish I would have the time to learn rails
and do it.
But it would be a compromise between the "we are a map" and the "we are
a data" provider.
It would be the "we are a data provider" with the addition of user
friendly presentation of the data - and not presentation of a (the?)
map, because: The Mapnik rendering is a presentation of data. Parts of
the stylesheet are designed to be a presentation of the data and not to
make the nicest map AFAIK.
Doing this rendering on client side, supported by all major browsers
would lead to
- more diversity in maps ("share your GPX, share your Data, share your
Map-Style (!)")
- probably better pointing to the database without being a geek-only-game
- probably forming the idea of "they have data" better at a probably
lower user level.
regards
Peter
Am 29.12.2011 22:39, schrieb Ben Johnson:
For what it's worth I also think it's very important to have a
prominent map on the front page and I believe this whole debate just
highlights the fact that OSM is not ready for mainstream and remains a
geeky subculture.
There seems to be a duality of identity here. On one hand, some are
saying lets make it more accessible and friendly to "ordinary people".
On the other hand, some appear embarrassed by the prominence of maps
to represent what our community is all about, and they want to retain
a geeky "we are not a map, we are a database" ideology.
The two goals are completely incompatible because "ordinary people"
expect OSM to be all about maps. In fact, I was drawn into the project
on the premise that OSM is "the Wikipedia of maps", and I found it an
exciting prospect to contribute to such a great idea.
Well... you go over to Wikipedia and the first thing you see is the
front page of an encyclopedia, ready to be searched and used as such.
You know there's no bells and whistles, and thats a good thing. You're
attracted by the clean commercial-free environment, and you have
confidence that the information in Wikipedia has been lovingly
provided by contributors who want to leave their legacy to the world
by sharing their knowledge and expertise, and rigorously reviewed and
checked by other contributors.
You don't hear Wikipedia trumpeting "we are not an encyclopedia, we
are a database of information." No... they scream from the mountain
tops "we are the world's encyclopedia", and absolutely relish in it.
Why can't OSM be also scream from
a nearby mountain top, "we are the world's map".... I mean, what's so
embarrassing about providing a good, comprehensive, accessible map?
It's an accomplishment of which we should all be proud, not hide away.
Yes we don't have gimmicks like street view and satellite view. So too
Wikipedia lacks rich multimedia content. It's simple, clean, fast,
comprehensive, accurate - and yet very very successful.
Again, what is embarrassing about a map?
I really do hope OSM finds its way through this quagmire of identity
and eventually becomes the world's map, widely used, integrated, and
quoted in all kinds of spheres.
That's my vision.
BJ
On 29/12/2011, at 9:09, "Barnett, Phillip" <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
Well yes, but instead you've got a very conspicuous link saying
'Where's the map? .. here it is."
And also four other obvious maps below that even!
PHILLIP BARNETT
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Please consider the environment. Do you really need to print this email?
-----Original Message-----
From: Frederik Ramm [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 28 December 2011 21:51
To: Thomas Davie
Cc: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [OSM-talk] Things People Say
Hi,
On 12/28/2011 10:41 PM, Thomas Davie wrote:
> This is a lot better though than "Can you believe it, OpenStreetMap
doesn't even have an open street map on their home page!".
We've been using http://www.openstreetmap.de/ in its current form for 6
weeks now. I'll let you know when someone complains that it has no map.
(The earlier version did have an OpenLayers map on the front page but
using only about 1/3 of screen real estate.)
Bye
Frederik
--
Frederik Ramm ## eMail [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]> ## N49°00'09" E008°23'33"
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