4 ms·

I discovered that recently, it's a very fun way to contribute to OpenStreetMap, and the UI is really well-done, it's totally beginner friendly! I wish there was

by aweb 3mo ago

I discovered that recently, it's a very fun way to contribute to OpenStreetMap, and the UI is really well-done, it's totally beginner friendly! I wish there was a way to do more than labeling though, like add simple roads and footpaths

eskori 3mo ago
I have used it one (1) time in my life, ans it was my first experience with OpenStreetMap in general. It was pretty fun! It's very intuitive and makes you learn just how detailed and specific map data can be. Can't say much about missing features since I don't event know what can be done. Recommended experience, it's like playing Pokemon Go without the evil part :)
- hadi121 3mo ago
  What's the "evil" part?
  - weavie 3mo ago
    Probably https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/06/pokemon-go-players-unwittingly-contributed-to-tech-with-military-drone-uses/ https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/06/pokemon-go-players-unwitt...
    - throw101010 3mo ago
      Then again you produce public open-source data when you contribute to OSM, and nothing prevents the military from using it for morally questionable purposes... at the end of the day the only difference is the intermediary that could make a profit selling the data, no?
      - black_puppydog 3mo ago
        well, I sure don't get to have access to all the pokémon data even if I ask very nicely, do I? I'd think that's a (related but important) difference
        throw101010 3mo ago
        I was questioning the qualification of Pokemon Go being "evil" here, it's the data broker and the military who are evil in this case in my opinion. (Making it open-source also doesn't help, as I said we'd only short-circuit the intermediary who sold this data). Maybe it's a useless nuance, but I don't think Pokemon Go gamers should feel/evil or even that they should be careful the next time they try to entertain themselves.
      - koolala 3mo ago
        No, the huge difference is creating the good part. Where is the open data for the general public created from Pokemon GO? You can't stop the military using open data but that is on them. The evil is them getting your private data to have an exclusive advantage people have no control or transparency over.
        throw101010 3mo ago
        I was talking about a difference for the bad outcome in this case... if Pokemon Go was open souce and public, the military could have done the same, for that matter the might be doing the same with OSM data to some extend right now and it would be harder to know about it. Open-source software and data are obviously public goods I support. I was just pointing out that the only "evil" parts here are rent seekers reselling this data and the military... not the people assembling the data (players).
        koolala 3mo ago
        You have no idea what they are selling though. You can ask to get bad things removed from Open Street Maps. It isn't just the money making aspect it's the secrecy too.
      - amiga386 3mo ago
        If StreetComplete starts asking road width and loading capacity for bridges and viaducts... start to get suspicious :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bqzwsM6eoQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bqzwsM6eoQ
        m4rtink 3mo ago
        Street complete does load width - it can be quite useful for example for the fire fighters. They can try to plot some routes based on OSM data, then check if the narrow places are actually there and reach out to the city to address them, so their fire engines can get through.
        amiga386 3mo ago
        That's a fair use for the data, but it would be hilarious if StreetComplete asked users to get a trundle wheel and measure the width of roads around embassies or seats of government...
        ygra 3mo ago
        There's a companion app, StreetMeasure, that uses Google's AR measuring capability on compatible phones. Personally, I carry a laser distance measure.
    - hadi121 3mo ago
      how am i just hearing about this, wow
    - DonHopkins 3mo ago
      [Surprised Pikachu Face]
  - Forgeties79 3mo ago
    Niantic would sell your children’s social security numbers if they thought they’d get away with it.
    - inigyou 3mo ago
      Every business would sell your actual children if they could.
Ajedi32 3mo ago
Usually if I need to add a footpath I use the "Create new track recording" feature to trace out the path with GPS, then come back to it later on desktop. Adding paths is pretty awkward to do on mobile, especially since there's no satellite overlay.
- 0l 3mo ago
  FYI someone else has probably already traced this through Strava, which is allowed to be used for tracing: <https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Strava#Data_Permission_-_Allowed_for_tracing! https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Strava#Data_Permission_-...>
  - tga_d 3mo ago
    Strava doesn't have complete coverage, especially on newer trails, but more importantly: doing the trace via Street Complete attaches it to an OSM note with an optional (but encouraged) photo. This additional context makes it a lot more useful for editors than an ordinary trace, which can just as easily be an actual trail, a desire path, or someone deciding to improvise a shortcut through some brush. Even if the note just contains the word "trail", that helps us (though more detail is greatly appreciated, of course).
- nightpool 3mo ago
  StreetComplete doesn't have satellite overlays, but both Vespucci and EveryDoor support viewing satellite overlay tiles!
  - KomoD 3mo ago
    Though if you like StreetComplete and want aerial/satellite, there's SCEE, a fork of StreetComplete. I tried both Vespucci and EveryDoor, but neither is nearly as easy to use in my opinion. https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/SCEE https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/SCEE
    - khahlsvr 3mo ago
jdboyd 3mo ago
I think adding things, instead of updating existing things with missing data is where you get into needing a more serious app. I keep Vespucci for when I want to initiate an edit, and StreetComplete for fun filling in missing information tasks.
janpeuker 3mo ago
I love the app idea but I don't think it's beginner friendly - for example it starts zoomed out of the globe and there is no button to zoom to the location; also it's unclear what the hatched lines until one zooms in.
- up-the-hill-4 3mo ago
  There's a button to zoom to the location at the bottom right, the same spot as Google maps (and the same icon too).

by aweb 3mo ago

eskori 3mo ago

I have used it one (1) time in my life, ans it was my first experience with OpenStreetMap in general. It was pretty fun! It's very intuitive and makes you learn just how detailed and specific map data can be. Can't say much about missing features since I don't event know what can be done. Recommended experience, it's like playing Pokemon Go without the evil part :)

hadi121 3mo ago
What's the "evil" part?
- weavie 3mo ago
  Probably https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/06/pokemon-go-players-unwittingly-contributed-to-tech-with-military-drone-uses/ https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/06/pokemon-go-players-unwitt...
  - throw101010 3mo ago
    Then again you produce public open-source data when you contribute to OSM, and nothing prevents the military from using it for morally questionable purposes... at the end of the day the only difference is the intermediary that could make a profit selling the data, no?
    - black_puppydog 3mo ago
      well, I sure don't get to have access to all the pokémon data even if I ask very nicely, do I? I'd think that's a (related but important) difference
      - throw101010 3mo ago
        I was questioning the qualification of Pokemon Go being "evil" here, it's the data broker and the military who are evil in this case in my opinion. (Making it open-source also doesn't help, as I said we'd only short-circuit the intermediary who sold this data). Maybe it's a useless nuance, but I don't think Pokemon Go gamers should feel/evil or even that they should be careful the next time they try to entertain themselves.
    - koolala 3mo ago
      No, the huge difference is creating the good part. Where is the open data for the general public created from Pokemon GO? You can't stop the military using open data but that is on them. The evil is them getting your private data to have an exclusive advantage people have no control or transparency over.
      - throw101010 3mo ago
        I was talking about a difference for the bad outcome in this case... if Pokemon Go was open souce and public, the military could have done the same, for that matter the might be doing the same with OSM data to some extend right now and it would be harder to know about it. Open-source software and data are obviously public goods I support. I was just pointing out that the only "evil" parts here are rent seekers reselling this data and the military... not the people assembling the data (players).
        koolala 3mo ago
        You have no idea what they are selling though. You can ask to get bad things removed from Open Street Maps. It isn't just the money making aspect it's the secrecy too.
    - amiga386 3mo ago
      If StreetComplete starts asking road width and loading capacity for bridges and viaducts... start to get suspicious :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bqzwsM6eoQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bqzwsM6eoQ
      - m4rtink 3mo ago
        Street complete does load width - it can be quite useful for example for the fire fighters. They can try to plot some routes based on OSM data, then check if the narrow places are actually there and reach out to the city to address them, so their fire engines can get through.
        amiga386 3mo ago
        That's a fair use for the data, but it would be hilarious if StreetComplete asked users to get a trundle wheel and measure the width of roads around embassies or seats of government...
        ygra 3mo ago
        There's a companion app, StreetMeasure, that uses Google's AR measuring capability on compatible phones. Personally, I carry a laser distance measure.
  - hadi121 3mo ago
    how am i just hearing about this, wow
  - DonHopkins 3mo ago
    [Surprised Pikachu Face]
- Forgeties79 3mo ago
  Niantic would sell your children’s social security numbers if they thought they’d get away with it.
  - inigyou 3mo ago
    Every business would sell your actual children if they could.

Ajedi32 3mo ago

Usually if I need to add a footpath I use the "Create new track recording" feature to trace out the path with GPS, then come back to it later on desktop. Adding paths is pretty awkward to do on mobile, especially since there's no satellite overlay.

0l 3mo ago
FYI someone else has probably already traced this through Strava, which is allowed to be used for tracing: <https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Strava#Data_Permission_-_Allowed_for_tracing! https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Strava#Data_Permission_-...>
- tga_d 3mo ago
  Strava doesn't have complete coverage, especially on newer trails, but more importantly: doing the trace via Street Complete attaches it to an OSM note with an optional (but encouraged) photo. This additional context makes it a lot more useful for editors than an ordinary trace, which can just as easily be an actual trail, a desire path, or someone deciding to improvise a shortcut through some brush. Even if the note just contains the word "trail", that helps us (though more detail is greatly appreciated, of course).
nightpool 3mo ago
StreetComplete doesn't have satellite overlays, but both Vespucci and EveryDoor support viewing satellite overlay tiles!
- KomoD 3mo ago
  Though if you like StreetComplete and want aerial/satellite, there's SCEE, a fork of StreetComplete. I tried both Vespucci and EveryDoor, but neither is nearly as easy to use in my opinion. https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/SCEE https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/SCEE
  - khahlsvr 3mo ago

jdboyd 3mo ago

I think adding things, instead of updating existing things with missing data is where you get into needing a more serious app. I keep Vespucci for when I want to initiate an edit, and StreetComplete for fun filling in missing information tasks.

janpeuker 3mo ago

I love the app idea but I don't think it's beginner friendly - for example it starts zoomed out of the globe and there is no button to zoom to the location; also it's unclear what the hatched lines until one zooms in.

up-the-hill-4 3mo ago
There's a button to zoom to the location at the bottom right, the same spot as Google maps (and the same icon too).