this post was submitted on 15 Nov 2024
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StreetComplete makes contributing to OpenStreetMap easy and fun by turning contributions into "quests" on a map for you to complete. No personal information is required, just create an OpenStreetMap account, and start contributing directly in your area!

I tried this out myself, and it is truly fantastic! I had never heard of it, and I'm sure many of you haven't either, so spread the word!

Tip: When entering buildings to ask questions (opening hours, etc.) be ready to explain what OpenStreetMap is :)

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[–] Cris_Color@lemmy.world 27 points 1 month ago

Love me some street complete! It's a great way for me to get out of the house and do stuff even when places are closed, since I'm not awake during the day

[–] CaJoasca_Baloon@lemm.ee 22 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

I started to use it, IT'S AMAZING! HOLY.. Something to do while walking is to observe and ask around, which I want to do, without having no reason to do y'know.

When I get asked why, I just say I'm just confirming what ~~Google Maps~~ said to me (which tbf can be outdated) so I get updated!

I like it, especially in my city and region where I haven't heard of major OSM users or editors..

[–] Charger8232@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 month ago

IT'S AMAZING! HOLY..

My exact reaction to trying it! I wish I had known about this so much sooner.

When I get asked why, I just say I'm just confirming what ~~Google Maps~~ said to me (which tbf can be outdated) so I get updated!

I've gotten so used to lying or social engineering to maintain my privacy, that it felt weird to be honest about actually contributing to a map and telling people what it is.

Thank you so much for recommending this!

You're welcome! But thank the StreetComplete team for making such a wonderful way to contribute to OSM

[–] 2xsaiko@discuss.tchncs.de 18 points 1 month ago

For iOS, Go Map!! (source) has a similar quests system. I don't know how well they hold up to StreetComplete though, I've never used the latter.

Also, obligatory https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/How_to_contribute!

[–] RoabeArt@hexbear.net 18 points 1 month ago

I need to get back into OSM. Pokemon Go was the reason I initially started contributing. The game uses (used?) OSM map data, and certain Pokemons will spawn near certain biomes (water, woods, etc).

My little cousin played the hell out of PG around 2017-2018, and they mostly played it around the big park in our town. At the time, the park appeared on OSM (and by extension PG) as a featureless green polygon with a few roads and footpaths. In reality it has a bunch of woods, streams, a pond, playground, public pool etc. So I did a quick readup on how to add stuff to OSM and I gave the park a digital makeover. I even walked around the footpaths with my phone and marked them out with the GPS so that they would appear in the map more accurately.

Unfortunately it was quite a while before Pokemon Go updated its OSM database, and my cousin lost interest in the game by then. But I kept at contributing for quite a few years, adding random stuff in spurts and stopping for a month or two

[–] Fusty@lemmy.ml 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Does it work without data service or a SIM?

[–] Charger8232@lemmy.ml 20 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Yes! You can download nearby quests for your location, and complete them fully offline. Afterwards, you can connect to the internet to upload your edits to OSM at your earliest convenience.

Wow I didn't know this! I'll have to try this the next time I'm out.

[–] sunzu2@thebrainbin.org 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)

The info you enter is then directly added to the OpenStreetMap in your name, without the need to use another editor.

Wut mean?

[–] Cris_Color@lemmy.world 8 points 1 month ago (1 children)

You sign in with your OSM account, and then when you add information via street complete your account submits the changes without needing to use the more advanced osm web interface

[–] sunzu2@thebrainbin.org 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)

"your name" is the account you made to make submissions?

[–] jqubed@lemmy.world 12 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Yes, your OpenStreetMap username. Does not need to be something truly related to you, in fact since most of your edits are likely to be near where you live or work I would strongly recommend they not be something related to you or any usernames you would normally use online.

[–] sunzu2@thebrainbin.org 7 points 1 month ago

thank you! alright my paranoia laden privacy shit posters... got to do our part!

[–] gamermanh@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

It was cool for a while but my area is mostly done, even with expanded quests it was basically "what is the road surface here" and "what kind of power pole is this" exclusively

I also very much hate the incredibly limited areas you're allowed to download, a 2x2 city block area size limit made me babe to download like 8 map sections desperately for the rural area I live in, and that's JUST for the housing part. If I want to include the nearby lake and part it'll be like 3pl0 more

[–] griefstricken@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 month ago

Ooh definitely send this feedback to them. I am gonna forget to.

[–] BewitchedBargain@reddthat.com 6 points 1 month ago

Used it quite well that I think the local area has mostly dried up on quests. Contributing more either requires being a passenger, or being in another area.

But I also like the feature of it recommending other apps that can be used as well, giving more ways to contribute or use the maps.

[–] GideonBear@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 month ago

I would like to recommend SCEE if you've been using StreetComplete for a while. It offers some advanced features like editing tags, but more importantly some needed QOL improvements like the overlay quick-selector, and GPX notes.

[–] fmstrat@lemmy.nowsci.com 2 points 1 month ago

Take the location limit off. Way too annoying for common OSM updates.

[–] Fusty@lemmy.ml 0 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Why does StreetComplete have non-free dependancies but OpenStreetMap is completely free/libre? I'm not going to install StreetComplete because of that.

[–] baatliwala@lemmy.world 23 points 1 month ago (1 children)

The only thing which F-Droid reports is that it uses jawg.io for visualising the map tiles and that is considered non-free is because it is... commercial?

This is the quote from the Streetcomplete github:

Since mid 2020, JawgMaps provides their vector map tiles service to StreetComplete for free, i.e. the background map displayed in the app.

Personally I don't care that much about FOSS/non-FOSS but IMO a reason like that is least of my concerns when looking at open source. If they're providing a free (as in money) service to an open source app then that's perfectly fine.

[–] Fusty@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Over time I've grown very concerned about non-FOSs simply due to constant datamining. Including for products people buy, they still want customers to install a proprietary app and register the product with serial, name, etc, for extra functionality. So on a phone, I have hard restrictions on what I refuse to install so that no apps have access to anything on phone or how I use it.

[–] joeldebruijn@lemmy.ml 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)

In that case .... you could install StreetComplete without concern.

[–] leanleft@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 month ago

it could raise rent prices if you live in an attractive city. college educate people may use the available data to inform the confidence of their relocation decisions. also realestate speculators, but mostly there are better sources.