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You can still care about mapping an area and use Google Maps though. And I don't see the issue with helping a big corporation. They provide a free mapping servi

by Fogest 11y ago

You can still care about mapping an area and use Google Maps though. And I don't see the issue with helping a big corporation. They provide a free mapping service with realtime traffic data, satellite views, and more. I don't see how contributing back is so wrong. Why does it matter who made the software and runs it?

rmc 11y ago
Yes, people's opinions aren't all the same. But some people feel less motivated to give free labour for the benefit of another company, and would rather work on something communal which everyone benefits from
- Fogest 11y ago
  That does make sense. I do contribute to OSM however. I am just stating that Google Maps navigation seems superior.
Piskvorrr 11y ago
Maybe it doesn't matter to you - which is perfectly fine by me, I respect your choice. As for me, I've had "my" data (edits which I have contributed) in too many projects, only to have the "oh, and we're shutting the service down/restricting access/whatever, and no, you can't have the data, all ours!" happen to me. I'm certainly not expecting Google Maps to go under, but I don't like the idea "sure, we will gladly take your data, but you can only do X, Y, and Z with them, and only as long as we're not angry at you." In other words, I have hit the limits of GMaps usefulness for my uses; I understand this doesn't necessarily happen to everyone :) (Also related: in my geographic locations of interest, OSM is now a workable alternative - compared to five years ago, when I was struggling to fit within Google's terms, because there was no usable alternative for me then)
- Fogest 11y ago
  Don't get me wrong here, I do contribute to OSM, in fact I even contribute GPS traces. I do believe that OSM is great, I am just stating that there are some things that are holding me back from using it for navigation :(
  - Piskvorrr 11y ago
    It is indeed superior (due to the traffic data), and I also use it via Waze. It would be miraculous for OSM to be better than Google Maps in every aspect. I was referring to the "contributing to the map" aspect here.

by Fogest 11y ago

rmc 11y ago

Yes, people's opinions aren't all the same. But some people feel less motivated to give free labour for the benefit of another company, and would rather work on something communal which everyone benefits from

Fogest 11y ago
That does make sense. I do contribute to OSM however. I am just stating that Google Maps navigation seems superior.

Piskvorrr 11y ago

Maybe it doesn't matter to you - which is perfectly fine by me, I respect your choice. As for me, I've had "my" data (edits which I have contributed) in too many projects, only to have the "oh, and we're shutting the service down/restricting access/whatever, and no, you can't have the data, all ours!" happen to me. I'm certainly not expecting Google Maps to go under, but I don't like the idea "sure, we will gladly take your data, but you can only do X, Y, and Z with them, and only as long as we're not angry at you." In other words, I have hit the limits of GMaps usefulness for my uses; I understand this doesn't necessarily happen to everyone :) (Also related: in my geographic locations of interest, OSM is now a workable alternative - compared to five years ago, when I was struggling to fit within Google's terms, because there was no usable alternative for me then)

Fogest 11y ago
Don't get me wrong here, I do contribute to OSM, in fact I even contribute GPS traces. I do believe that OSM is great, I am just stating that there are some things that are holding me back from using it for navigation :(
- Piskvorrr 11y ago
  It is indeed superior (due to the traffic data), and I also use it via Waze. It would be miraculous for OSM to be better than Google Maps in every aspect. I was referring to the "contributing to the map" aspect here.