Review OpenSatNav mapping data source.

[chris_debian]

Some comments have been made on the mailing list, concerning the mapping data and the frequency with which it is updated.

It has been suggested that the YOURS service may not be the most efficient. It seems sensible to use raw OSM data, and Cloudbase (http://downloads.cloudmade.com/) has been mentioned as a possibility. I'm not sure what other options are available.

This issue should be used for comments and ideas regarding future sources of data. Please add your thoughts, here.

Thanks,

Chris.

[walo (yo-alvarolara)]

I really thing this should be a great characterictic for OSN. Today i have been using OpenSatNav, and althougth the map is always updated, the routing service uses old data to calculate the route, and the shortest or the fastest way is not always present.

If we could use binary files from cloudmade or from navit's project, routing could be offline and in vector graphics format, wich is very customizable and have many other advantages.

The user cuold have the choice to use online routing (as it is now implemented) or offline-vector routing (navit or cloudmade binaries.)

¿What do you thing?

Sorry for my bad English.

[chris_debian (cjhandrew)]

Walo,

When you plan routes, try the nominatim option, rather than the default, this may help.

It will be interesting to hear feedback on your observations.

Many thanks,

Chris.

[walo (yo-alvarolara)]

I have been using both of them and althougth nominatim works better for me, routing service is not updated: Two months ago I made new roads, and nominating did not route me in the way it should have done. It routes me as if the roads hadn't been created. (I have checked and ways are correctly, without errors). Openroute service does the same.

[Kieran Fleming (kieran-fleming)]

Judging from the YOURS forum thread, it seems to be updated only sporadically. The service is also down more often than I would like.
Switching to an onboard router has obvious advantages but is quite a bit of work so it's not suitable for a 1.1 release.
There isn't much choice in offline routers:
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Routing/OnlineRouters
Cloudmade looks good but it's not open source so it means we have to muck around with API keys and usage limits. I'd personally be more comfortable waiting for YOURS to improve or for OpenRouteService to go global.

[chris_debian (cjhandrew)]

kizza wrote:

> Cloudmade looks good but it's not open source so it means we have to muck around with API keys and usage limits. I'd personally be more comfortable waiting for YOURS to improve or for OpenRouteService to go global.

I didn't realise when Cloudmade was being discussed, that it wasn't open source. I would not be able to contribute to a project that wasn't open. For me that isn't an option.

Thanks,

Chris.

[Murphy (murphy2712+launchpad)]

chris_debian wrote:
> kizza wrote:
>
> > Cloudmade looks good but it's not open source so it means we have to muck around with API keys and usage limits. I'd personally be more comfortable waiting for YOURS to improve or for OpenRouteService to go global.
>
> I didn't realise when Cloudmade was being discussed, that it wasn't open source. I would not be able to contribute to a project that wasn't open. For me that isn't an option.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Chris.

I partially agree with you because I also want everything to be opensource, but that's not always possible: as an example, your current drivers on your Android phone are not.
I think the routing service used could be up to the user, and customizable from a select list (like the name finder service) before search or after search (displaying the multiple routing choices on a map according to each service selected in preferences).
Cloudmade service may not be opensource but it's free to use and provide a good up to date worldwide OSM routing service.
Even OpenRouteService is not completely opensource, only the "core code of the routing algorithmus".

[chris_debian (cjhandrew)]

Murphy wrote:

>
> I partially agree with you because I also want everything to be opensource, but that's not always possible: as an example, your current drivers on your Android phone are not.
> I think the routing service used could be up to the user, and customizable from a select list (like the name finder service) before search or after search (displaying the multiple routing choices on a map according to each service selected in preferences).
> Cloudmade service may not be opensource but it's free to use and provide a good up to date worldwide OSM routing service.
> Even OpenRouteService is not completely opensource, only the "core code of the routing algorithmus".

Like most BIOSe on PC's, we have to accept Android limitations (for now). We do not have to add to this by using closed/ non-free (whether free in cost or not) additional software. My view is that if we can't make every attempt to make this 'open', then I may as well spend £99 (or less) and buy a TomTom. This would be much easier, but does not satisfy the wishes of OSN.

If as you say, OpenRouteService is not free, then this and all other non-free software should have bugs raised against it and a suitable replacement sought.

People are free to take the OSN code and fork it to integrate non-free code, but they will have to do it without me.

That's not meant to sound over-assertive, but I don't do 'non-free'.

Thanks,

Chris.