OpenStreetMap and their editors are great and I use them a lot, but if you really want to have great flexibility with your map design QGIS is Open Source

Here’s a video on how to use it

You can use CalTopo’s print pdf to print that OSM data too

The nice slick interface of Organic Maps makes me wish it loaded and zoomed smoother. But yeah the things you can do in OSMand as a fully offline app is incredible once it’s set up how you want it.

The link worked for me the first time but only once

It can be hard to find fediverse instances and content within them. They are working to make things easier for Mastadon but with a little work it could be used for and between many things on the fediverse

People think that govt developed = bad. It’s a consideration for sure but if anything govt developed is so hopelessly and inherently compromised then many of the measures discussed here are useless for privacy already because they almost all run through internet, a govt created system. Even TOR. But yet here we are anyway because they are still useful systems.

Governments pour tons of time money and effort into secure communication, and not for profit, and we can still take advantage of that advancement with some caution.

Wait until they find out who started the internet. Or who runs GPS satellites

In my experience StreetComplete is almost real time. As soon as you close the app adds all of your changes I think. I’ve never tried it in Organic Maps but I imagine it’s similar

Usually your edits will go straight to the map! There are people that work on tools and foundations of the map data but when it comes to the data itself WE are the OSM team!

Recommended changes are done via map notes. If you fon’t know what I’m talking about you can turn them on on openstreetmap.org to see what I mean

When it was sms compatible it was a suuuuper easy sell for my family

“It’s way more secure when you text me but you can still text everyone else you know too. And we can still use it through wifi if cell service isn’t working for me.”

It would potentially fall under “fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine” that would make it inadmissable for actual court cases but otherwise there’s nothing to stop people from gathering information that is available to the public

We can always do the “nothing beyond my immediate observation can be trusted” method like the flat earthers do

I use iD editor almost every time. It’s simple to use and I can use it on nearly any computer I have access to. ai usually put on a podcast for 30min-1h

On my phone I have Vespucci installed. It’s a lot slower going compared to PC but it can scratch the itch when I’m bored out and about. I use OSMand for actually using the map data.

Street Complete is slick and makes it easy to add a ton of stuff but that is geared towards polishing up the unknown details of stuff that is already mapped. I’d rather finish adding unmapped roads and sidewalks than telling OSM what materials they’re made of.

I like to map land use. I spent some time on a volunteer fire department and working with their K9 Search and Rescue team on real calls and training. Land nav and good mapping is super important to them so I put some extra effort to make it as useful as possible.

It mildly annoys me when mappers add big sections of natual wood but completely ignore the big swampy wetland or other obvious things within that area like ponds. I think some people map it just so it looks nice but a little detail matters when you’re there in person and have to get around.

It might not be much but it’s still legal precedent that will hopefully help it reach critical mass. Like getting Al Capone on tax evasion

I forget what privacy podcast I was listening to but they said that privacy is important because you might not be under scrutiny now but could be.

After the Boston marathon bombing reddit was scouring footage and believed a particular person was responsible (“we did it reddit!”). They were wrong. People found his address, work etc and he was stalked and harrassed for days though he did nothing wrong.

You can bet he would have liked to disappear for a while, and a little extra everyday privacy in advance would have made that a lot easier.

If you update point info or building info, when you change the address the spot doesn’t move. It just changes the info listed about that old location spot/building.

You’ll have to find the new location, map the building if it isn’t and then fill in the info about it to include the address. You can drag the marker over or place a new one

Thank you for taking the time to look after your local businesses!

If you want to play in your hometown and nothing is mapped it might motivate you.

…now I’m thinking of some gamers mapping strategically to min/max the game mechanics