Open Steet Mapping
I went to a “mapping party” today for Open Street Mapping (OSM) and I learned that there is so much potential for this type of service. Unlike other mapping software and web interfaces, OSM is user generated and edited as if it were a wiki. This gives the possibility of so much more detail about the location and detail of anything, even a mail box sitting on a street corner. Updates are provided usually within an hour or two of the edit being made which leads to truly accurate and up to date information.
Anyone can use this interface to update a map anywhere in the world. This is providing maps of locations to places that never had online maps before. Projects are taking place for locations such as Baghdad and the Gaza Strip. Trails that are used as everyday roads can be mapped in third world countries. In the end this will create a wealth of information that can be used for so many applications. The best part is there is no closed copyright on it, you can use it for private use or for commercial such as Cloudmade is doing.
