Michelin map updated - a comedy of errors

mackerski

Kahless wrote: »

Depends where you look. I can see that there are roads near me which don't exist on OSM.

Add them.

JohnC.

mackerski wrote: »

Add them.

From the point of view of a user, that's not very good regarding reliability of the maps. I don't need the maps here as I know the roads. Someone who does need the maps won't know the roads are incorrect unless someone fills them in. If I want to use the maps to go somewhere unfamiliar to me, I won't be assuming the maps are correct there either. So I simply won't use it.

Chris_5339762

Aside from a couple of minor errors about paths in parks, I've found OSM to be much more accurate than any of the commerical mapping software packages.

mackerski

Kahless wrote: »

From the point of view of a user, that's not very good regarding reliability of the maps. I don't need the maps here as I know the roads. Someone who does need the maps won't know the roads are incorrect unless someone fills them in. If I want to use the maps to go somewhere unfamiliar to me, I won't be assuming the maps are correct there either. So I simply won't use it.

We seem to be different types of person. I hold the door for people and don't drop litter because I think it makes the world a nicer place. The more people there are who also behave in that way, the more chance there is that, when I visit a new place, the streets will be clean and the doors won't hit me in the face.

I could take the view that I don't gain much from my own neighbourhood being tidy or polite since I normally just come home to sleep, but somehow such logic doesn't do it for me.

In like fashion, I have seen that OSM is filling up with better map data than you can get elsewhere. I have discovered that the more I improve it in my own area, something I can do with relative ease, the better it gets in other parts of the world. I regard this as a great deal, and continue to contribute.

You may be more sceptical. That's fine, there's no downside. You can just wait until the coverage is more to your liking, and only then start using it for free.

But I like my way better

AndrewMc

Kahless wrote: »

From the point of view of a user, that's not very good regarding reliability of the maps. I don't need the maps here as I know the roads. Someone who does need the maps won't know the roads are incorrect unless someone fills them in. If I want to use the maps to go somewhere unfamiliar to me, I won't be assuming the maps are correct there either. So I simply won't use it.

Incomplete and incorrect aren't entirely the same. While I know there's plenty of missing roads, I have greater trust that with OSM what's there is right. All the recent motorways are a good example — nearly all were up within days, if not hours, and not before.

I really would encourage you join in and add those roads, or even just submit a GPS trace of you driving along them; as a communal effort any and all help is appreciated.

JohnC.

mackerski wrote: »

We seem to be different types of person. I hold the door for people and don't drop litter because I think it makes the world a nicer place. The more people there are who also behave in that way, the more chance there is that, when I visit a new place, the streets will be clean and the doors won't hit me in the face.

I could take the view that I don't gain much from my own neighbourhood being tidy or polite since I normally just come home to sleep, but somehow such logic doesn't do it for me.

Are you trying to imply that I don't do these things too or that it is in any way relevant to a map being trustworthy? In what way does any of that mean I can put my faith in other places being correct when I know of inaccurate mapping in my area, even if I've put it right after I've seen it?

It's all very well with all these claims everyone is making of motorways and cities being correct. But the country isn't made entirely of motorways and cities.

And why is it okay for Michelin to be called a comedy of errors, but if anyone dares to say anything about the hallowed OSM, they are selfish.

mackerski

Kahless wrote: »

And why is it okay for Michelin to be called a comedy of errors, but if anyone dares to say anything about the hallowed OSM, they are selfish.

I think the two are unconnected. I didn't apply that label to the Michelin map, but as a longtime fan of that map I do agree that the standard has slipped in ways that I find difficult to justify. As Andrew has mentioned, there is a difference between something being incorrect and just not being mapped yet - the former suggests a poor approach to map-making, the latter just reflects the fact that it takes time to make a complete map (far less if more people help).

I didn't actually call you selfish. Rather, I attempted to suggest that if more people took my approach to OSM than took yours the map would be a great deal better than it is. To be sure, there are applications to which it is not suited today. When I started mapping a few short years ago there wasn't even a coastline to keep the land in. But Unlike the Michelin map, the quality of our map is only going in one direction.