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I find myself increasingly leaning towards OpenStreetMap due to the utterly infuriating changes in the Google Maps interfaces, and that's even knowing the GM pr

I find myself increasingly leaning towards OpenStreetMap due to the utterly infuriating changes in the Google Maps interfaces, and that's even knowing the GM privacy issues. OSM has definite holes in the data, but that's fixable, yet also suffers from a too much information by default situation for their standard representations. The map data is there, but the resulting maps just aren't quite as good, though I'm sure someone will use it to get there.

Estragon 13y ago
> utterly infuriating changes in the Google Maps interfaces Anyone know what Google's plan is here? I've stopped using Google Maps on my phone for the same reason. Doesn't seem like a win for them.
- colmvp 13y ago
  Strange, I haven't had a problem using their app on the iPhone.
maxerickson 13y ago
Can you link to a spot you find too busy? (Not for any important reason, just for a more concrete point of reference)
- michaelt 13y ago
  I'm not the person you're replying to, but if you compare https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=15/48.2444/16.3255 https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=15/48.2444/16.3255 and https://maps.google.com/maps?q=48.2444,16.3255&z=15 https://maps.google.com/maps?q=48.2444,16.3255&z=15 there's a lot more data shown on the first map. Or compare https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=16/51.5122/-0.1201 https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=16/51.5122/-0.1201 with https://maps.google.com/maps?q=51.5122,-0.1201&z=16 https://maps.google.com/maps?q=51.5122,-0.1201&z=16 Personally I like maps that have a lot of data on them, but I can see why people might find it a bit overwhelming.
  - aw3c2 13y ago
    OSM is the data. That map is meant for mappers. There are countless other maps based on the data. One of them might be more for you. Try mapquest's or the humanitarian style.
afterburner 13y ago
Yes. Google Maps used to make it easy to cache an area and know which areas you'd cached. It was also integrated with My Maps, which I found useful. One of their updates a while back took both of these away without warning. For a fully featured Android map app, with many options for map sources, try Locus.
- unholiness 13y ago
  This feature still exists, it's just needlessly hidden as an easter egg in the new version. (http://techcrunch.com/2013/07/10/save-maps-offline-new-google-maps/ http://techcrunch.com/2013/07/10/save-maps-offline-new-googl...) EDIT: There is also no longer a way to know what areas you have cached.
ChrisNorstrom 13y ago
I know I hate it too. Use https://www.google.com/maps?output=classic https://www.google.com/maps?output=classic. Google's become so extremely disrespectful, they don't even ask you to opt in. Seems like every time they hire a new designer they re-design either YouTube or Google Maps when they didn't need a single thing changed. - I have the new Google Maps UI forced on me. The slow loading one that's un-intuitive. - I'm no longer allowed to see a "satellite view" of my city. I'm forced to use "3D view" or normal map view. - They removed the underlined text and increased the font in Google Search for me. Making the text harder to read. - Forcing me to use Google+ to comment on YouTube videos. - Redesigning Analytics so it looks like garbage and I can't open multiple sites in new tabs. There's no better time to compete with Google. At this rate they'll piss all their users away.

Estragon 13y ago

> utterly infuriating changes in the Google Maps interfaces Anyone know what Google's plan is here? I've stopped using Google Maps on my phone for the same reason. Doesn't seem like a win for them.

colmvp 13y ago
Strange, I haven't had a problem using their app on the iPhone.

maxerickson 13y ago

Can you link to a spot you find too busy? (Not for any important reason, just for a more concrete point of reference)

michaelt 13y ago
I'm not the person you're replying to, but if you compare https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=15/48.2444/16.3255 https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=15/48.2444/16.3255 and https://maps.google.com/maps?q=48.2444,16.3255&z=15 https://maps.google.com/maps?q=48.2444,16.3255&z=15 there's a lot more data shown on the first map. Or compare https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=16/51.5122/-0.1201 https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=16/51.5122/-0.1201 with https://maps.google.com/maps?q=51.5122,-0.1201&z=16 https://maps.google.com/maps?q=51.5122,-0.1201&z=16 Personally I like maps that have a lot of data on them, but I can see why people might find it a bit overwhelming.
- aw3c2 13y ago
  OSM is the data. That map is meant for mappers. There are countless other maps based on the data. One of them might be more for you. Try mapquest's or the humanitarian style.

afterburner 13y ago

Yes. Google Maps used to make it easy to cache an area and know which areas you'd cached. It was also integrated with My Maps, which I found useful. One of their updates a while back took both of these away without warning. For a fully featured Android map app, with many options for map sources, try Locus.

unholiness 13y ago
This feature still exists, it's just needlessly hidden as an easter egg in the new version. (http://techcrunch.com/2013/07/10/save-maps-offline-new-google-maps/ http://techcrunch.com/2013/07/10/save-maps-offline-new-googl...) EDIT: There is also no longer a way to know what areas you have cached.

ChrisNorstrom 13y ago

I know I hate it too. Use https://www.google.com/maps?output=classic https://www.google.com/maps?output=classic. Google's become so extremely disrespectful, they don't even ask you to opt in. Seems like every time they hire a new designer they re-design either YouTube or Google Maps when they didn't need a single thing changed. - I have the new Google Maps UI forced on me. The slow loading one that's un-intuitive. - I'm no longer allowed to see a "satellite view" of my city. I'm forced to use "3D view" or normal map view. - They removed the underlined text and increased the font in Google Search for me. Making the text harder to read. - Forcing me to use Google+ to comment on YouTube videos. - Redesigning Analytics so it looks like garbage and I can't open multiple sites in new tabs. There's no better time to compete with Google. At this rate they'll piss all their users away.