For five years, people have been contributing to OpenStreetMap – the Wikipedia-like attempt to create a free, user-generated map of the world. Thanks to the project, millions of people now use free ...

Wikipedia’s “crowdsourced knowledge” model has created a spectacular resource, but everyone knows the big caveat: if the data’s important, don’t trust the online encyclopedia without verifying it ...

This definition of omnipresent sums up many facets of society. Fast food chains? Everywhere. Reality TV shows? You know the answer. And what about Google? Yup, right again. What started as a simple ...

Every time I tell someone about OpenStreetMap, they inevitably ask “Why not use Google Maps?”. From a practical standpoint, it’s a reasonable question, but ultimately this is not just a matter of ...

You have a choice when it comes to maps, and the answer isn’t as clear as it used to be. Google’s maps are still king, but OpenStreetMap is making a name for itself, gaining favor among many apps and ...

From internet protocols and operating systems, to databases and cloud services, some technology is so omnipresent most people don’t even know it exists. The same can be said about OpenStreetMap, the ...

The iD editor represents the most dramatic facelift for OpenStreetMap since the project first started back in 2004. Imagine Wikipedia’s complicated, esoteric interface for editors being overhauled to ...

The open mapping data project is a colossal success story, but faces some hurdles. Here’s how you can help. You probably don’t realize it, but you’re a direct beneficiary of OpenStreetMap. You may not ...

Steve Coast founded OpenStreetMap (OSM) in the UK in 2004. It’s 10 years old this year. He was inspired by the Wikipedia model and compelled by a lack of available map and location data in the UK at ...

The OpenStreetMap project is an excellent example of how powerful crowdsourced data can be, but that’s not to say the system is perfect. Invalid data, added intentionally or otherwise, can sometimes ...