Long time ago, I did several villages where I grew up. This was before satellite images covered that area, so I did it the old fashioned way with a GPS, cycling up and down every single street, writing down name and surface in a notebook. Walked around every field, every patch of forest, creek, etc. It took years, but I've literally been everywhere in those villages. It was fun :) When aerial images came I could do private buildings too.
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I use it a lot, mostly through OsmAnd on Android. Occasionally I also contribute missing trails and remove obsolete places.
I think many people use their data without even knowing it which is a shame. Maps.me is a very common app but everyone I talk to that's using this app never heard of OSM.
Yes, I moved in St Lucia, a small Caribbean island (~620km) few years ago.
Openstreetmap already had a lot of information but nothing on the land use (forest, field ...). So over almost a year I've worked on it to add all the forest using satellite imagery. Most of the community names were missing so I've also added around 100 names and plenty of roads and buildings.
I've also started to add all the rivers and stream using public data but this is still underway.
There is also wheelmap.org , based on Openstreet maps. Project asks for volunteers to mark wheelchair accessible places that you know of.
Even a few markdowns would help if you know an accessible space, store, restaurant, bathroom etc. !
I've used it, but mostly to contribute as the data for my area is sparse as well. I find it fun to map the areas I visit. I haven't added recently because I am using a mobile Linux device and I haven't found an application to easily contribute.
I have done more work on OpenSeaMap. It started with me being annoyed with plotters costing too much and ended in me using many hours to mark down rocks from satellite images.
It's still pretty basic and there is no good way of collecting water depth info, but fun to improve it.
Organic Maps works really good.
It's not even so much about F(L)OSS for me, it's mainly about privacy. Haven't contributed so far, but been using it through Organic Maps. OSM lacks no address in my town, and that's enough for me. I only need a map to get frow A to B, and I'd already know what's at B if I'm going there in the first place.
As others have mentioned, I really recommend StreetComplete. I used it for my city and it's a nice and helpful way as well to walk around what would otherwise be a boring scenery I've seen too many times.
I do get looks when I walk up and down stairs trying to count the steps though.
I contribute where I can, nothing significant.
However, nothing beats Apple maps IMO. I have an iPhone which I hotspot data to and basically only use it as a GPS when driving. I can't use my Android device as I prefer using Apple CarPlay and GrapheneOS does not support Android Auto.
I use Magic Earth or OSMand when I don't have my iPhone with me.
I'm contributing a lot in my area.
I started because I needed a customizable online map for a website and no map out there was really complete where I needed. So instead of waiting for commercial services, I started to log ways using GPS and add them to OSM.
Yeah I have made many changes in my area. I also find it kinda therapeutic as well.
Surprisingly in my area OSM is mapped down to individual trees. Definitely keep up the work, because it shines in areas where it's well mapped.
At one stage, all street names were removed from my city because of changes to the license osm was using. And my suburb was blank. I got on my bike with the app on my phone, and mapped it all over about 3 leisurely rides. And I can say I've been past every house in my suburb at least once 😁
I also have found it better for offroad riding and walking. Also did some track mapping offroad too.
Back in the old days I used an external GPS mouse connected to my phone via Bluetooth to track streets, writing down notes on every way point to later publish everything. Today still have of this area is there to look it up and I enjoy it everytime I
I used to contribute GPS-traces. But then good enough aerial photos became available for my country.
Now I contribute POIs. Last ones this week.
I've submitted a few corrections before. Garmin or Strava used it for mapping runs and I quite liked it because in my area their maps of trails were actually much more complete and up to date than Google maps. For example in one nature park the current trails were shown on osm but Google showed a completely different set. I later came across a really old and faded sign in the park that showed trails that lined up with what Google showed despite them not existing any more. The new trails WERE shown on a pdf the city provided on their website but I guess they must have never been submitted to Google or something. Fortunately there must have been some dedicated OSM users in my area who were inputting updates.
I use it a lot. I'm finding things like hiking trails are more up to date than Google maps
My company actually partially sponsors an OpenStreetMap mapathon through our volunteering initiative. I’ve probably put in around 3 or 4 hours this year contributing to maps, though specifically developing countries with incomplete mapping and recent natural disasters.
It brings me a lot of joy to contribute to OSM. I haven't written anything other than the occasional script for years, so it feels good to help the community in ways like this instead.
I've sunk so many hours into it. Either "armchair mapping" with OSM and the imagery overlays, or (more fun) wandering with the android Street Complete app to fill in gaps when I'm out and about.
I did a little bit in my area, haven't had the motivation to start up again.
Use it and love it. I live in the countryside and google just doesn't bother capturing footpaths. Using OSM (I use OpenMultiMaps for Android) I can see contour maps, much clearer transport maps, footpaths, and pretty much anything else I need. Occasionally the notes people write have been handy too, for example for marking footpaths that are poorly maintained or turb into a swap in rain
Used: yes
Contributed: no
I know I know, I am sorry. Just started using it a few months ago (through Organic Maps on iOS), and honestly have started using it more than Google/Apple Maps. This is a good reminder for me so get off my ass and start contributing.