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OpenStreetMap

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OpenStreetMap of Cambridge

OpenStreetMap (OSM) is a collaborative project to create free editable maps. The maps are created using data from portable GPS devices and other free sources.

The map data and rendered maps are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license

Wiki map

The makers of OpenStreetMap are aiming for a wiki-like approach to map editing. Inspired by sites such as Wikipedia, the map display features a prominent 'Edit' tab, taking the user to a simple editing interface.

Also in keeping with wiki concepts, the back-end data structures include storing a full revision history, although visible history & revert features are still under development.

History

OpenStreetMap was founded in July 2004 by Steve Coast. In April 2006 OSM began a process of transforming itself into a foundation.

"The OpenStreetMap Foundation is an international non-profit organisation dedicated to encouraging the growth, development and distribution of free geospatial data and to providing geospatial data for anybody to use and share."
Raw GPS data (tracklogs) for Hedge End

In July 2007, the OSM Foundation held the first OSM international conference, named "The State of the Map".

Mapping process

The map data in the system so far has mostly been built from scratch, through a collaborative mapping process. This normally begins with users uploading data onto OSM from their handheld GPS units or by using GPS Navigation software. This is followed by a manual editing process, creating "nodes" and "ways", and tagging these with key-value pairs to represent information about the different types of street, names of the streets etc.

Yahoo! aerial imagery agreement

A special agreement has been made with Yahoo! to allow OpenStreetMap to make use of their vertical aerial imagery. The online editing tools are permitted to display the imagery as an overlay, and OpenStreetMap contributors may create their vector based maps as a derived work, released with an open license.

Data format

OpenStreetMap uses a topological data structure

  • Nodes are points with a geographic position
  • Ways are groups of nodes, representing a polyline or polygon
  • Relationships are groups of nodes and ways which can be assigned certain properties
  • Tags can be applied to nodes, ways or relationships and consist of name=value pairs

Up to version 0.4 of its protocol, an intermediate element between nodes and ways (segments) was also used.

The Ontology of map features (the meaning of tags) is maintained on a wiki

OSM also emits hCard and Geo microformats on text pages about settlements.

OpenStreetMap of Soho, central London

Tools

Data sources

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to OpenStreetMap.
  • www.openstreetmap.org - Project page
  • Project Wiki
  • Featured map images
  • "OpenStreetMap in the Press". OpenStreetMap wiki.
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