The hobby? Contributing to OpenStreetMap. I found an app called Street Complete that makes it exceptionally easy, basically it just asks you questions about features along your walking route. Thanks to doing this, I’ve discovered several hidden features of the neighborhood like small public gardens full of herbs, public library boxes, and more.
Doing it also feels constructive, because I know I’m helping build up a resource to challenge Google’s near-monopoly. It’s very satisfying to clear all the dots from the map, and I find myself looking forward to my walks and planning out which streets I’ll walk next.
Happy helping!
I haven’t used it for a few years but a while back I had street complete and went in a road trip visiting family, and I was able to map a big portion of each of their neighborhoods.
It also helped me discover a lot of hidden trails around my own neighborhood and eventually one of my gpx traces ended up marking out previously unmapped path through the woods, that even google does not yet have.
OpenStreetMap is so much better for trails that it’s actually no contest. Plus, the maps can be downloaded offline, so even when you’re out of the cellular service area you can still have full access.
Just today it got me out of a pinch on a very remote trail. I was amazed it even had the trail. Big fan.
This is a fun app. Less than a day in and I’m over 150 submissions.
This sounds awesome I’ll look into it! I bet the folks over at the Degoogle Yourself community would like to see this. Not sure how to crosslink though.
This sounds fun! I already added some benches during my walks but never contributed in a major way. Certainly going to check it out
Shame there’s not a version for iOS :(
This seems very cool. Thanks for sharing! Does anyone know what iOS app is similar?
This sounds so fun and the interface looks very clean. I’ll be looking for an iOS version but may have to dust off an old android in the mean time.
Thanks for pointing this out, I had no idea about this app, but looks like the perfect thing to easily get people to contribute to OSM! I had wanted to previously but always found it a bit of a chore and a bit complicated just looking through the main site.
I need a reason to get out where I live and explore, so this is the perfect excuse!
Would love to contribute if they ever release an iOS app.
Given that it would require an entire rewrite of the app, and Apple is no friend to open source software, I very much doubt it will happen.
There are plenty of open source apps on iOS. Apple has nothing to do with that.
Either way, I know it takes time to develop apps and I don’t expect anything. But I’m also not going to switch to Android just to volunteer my own time.
Nobody said you had to switch.