I've tried to contribute in the past ot OSM, especially in areas with little data. The problem is when I'm there I usually have less than ideal environment - no computer, intermittent net access, etc.
I've grown to like the Locus interface to create POIs and paths on the map very much, and I think the google's mymaps integration is pretty useful. Something similar for OSM -- a plugin that would allow authentication against the OSM user database and have the ability to upload/download and edit OSM map fragments would be immensely useful.
It will be a win-win if I can have better OSM in Locus, and use Locus to improve OSM.
Vote for this too +1 :idea:
Fine, we should try something with this but I'll need some more help. I never created OSM maps, and I actually do not have day to try it. So if someone should point me on some more info what exactly you want :). I noticed that for example OsmAnd (and few other softwares) have support for OSM bugs, is this what you think?
Well, just a maybe, we could do it in reverse -- instead of you learning about OSM editing, someone could learn about writing Locus plugins. While I added the post just so that the idea is on the list, I was seriously considering to write it. Unfortunately, I also don't have much time at the moment, and I have not read the information on the locus API and plugin development here, so I really cannot tell how much work a plugin would be. I may have some free time in the coming month and take a closer look at it, though, depending on the general direction Locus goes in.
If I were to start working on it, I suppose just authenticating (0auth) and uploading tracks to a user account will be a very useful first step, and won't be a very big challenge, given what Locus can do now.
As for editing, I suppose that will be harder, because the actual editor is manipulating the OSM internal map format. I imagine adapting the current path/mymap editor would be a major part of the work on such a plugin. Also, if I were to do it, I'd prefer the plugin to be open source. The OSM map editor is josm (http://josm.openstreetmap.de/ (http://josm.openstreetmap.de/)), it is written in Java too, so a compatible license would speed things a lot.
hmm sound interesting. Only problem is that here do not exist any Locus API. I'm developing Locus as closed source project and addons are created in very simple way. They are only based on "Intents", so addon is only registered on some intent-filter and works only by calling this, together with some data. This is also reason why I released support for My Maps as part of application and not as separate addon. My Maps support is very deeply integrated into Locus and after more then day of trying, I decided that much better should be leave it as is, then creating separate addon. Similar way should be with addon for OSM editing. I can of course create something that will call addon that allow uploading or downloading points and tracks on web. This is not a problem. Problem is create addon that will support some extensive editing features. If something like this should be really really useful, I'll rather do by myself as part of Locus.