NOTICE: help.openstreetmap.org is no longer in use from 1st March 2024. Please use the OpenStreetMap Community Forum

I looked in the Wiki for this without success, so here is a DIY job https://www.openstreetmap.org/user/andy%20mackey/diary/21767

any alternatives.... or improvements?

asked 30 Apr '14, 10:48

andy%20mackey's gravatar image

andy mackey
13.2k87143285
accept rate: 4%

edited 09 May '14, 14:02

aseerel4c26's gravatar image

aseerel4c26 ♦
32.6k18248554

1

Thanks for the answers and Harry Woods diary comment with this link http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Slippy_map It took me some time to have some understanding of the difference between the map we edit and the rendered maps which can be displayed on PCs Tabs Sat Navs and a GPS so thought this question could be useful.

(09 May '14, 08:40) andy mackey

I'll have a go...

At it's heart, OpenStreetMap is just a big pile of data that represent things in the physical world such as roads, trees and all sorts of other things.

The way that the data is organised is described here and data items have tags with values that say what the data represents. Lots of information about the sort of data that is stored is available on the OSM wiki and information about what tags people have used is also available on pages such as this one.

When you point a web browser at http://www.openstreetmap.org/ you're seeing a representation of that data (one of the the five that are available there) - click the "layers" button at the right to see the others. Behind the scenes the data is converted to an actual map by a process called rendering. The actual maps that you see on OpenStreetMap.org are made up of individual tiles such as this one. Most of these are actually created only when your web browser asks for them, from the latest OpenStreetMap data.

If you want to set up your own map server that you can point a web browser at you can, if you follow the instructions here. You can use the same style as the "standard" map on osm.org, or the humanitarian style or you can use these or others to create your own web map style.

Lots of people have created lots of maps in different styles showing different sorts of data.

A web map is only one one sort of place where you'll see OpenStreetMap data. You can download maps for handheld GPS devices and car sat-navs, (or create your own), for mobile phones and some services using OpenStreetMap data don't involve maps at all.

permanent link
This answer is marked "community wiki".

answered 08 May '14, 22:04

SomeoneElse's gravatar image

SomeoneElse ♦
36.9k71370866
accept rate: 16%

Andy, a nice piece of text but is this a question or a remark ? If it is a remark, it should be adressed to the developing desk, http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Develop please do so as well. Since its not a question it should be removed from this question board.

permanent link

answered 30 Apr '14, 11:25

Hendrikklaas's gravatar image

Hendrikklaas
9.3k207238387
accept rate: 5%

Follow this question

By Email:

Once you sign in you will be able to subscribe for any updates here

By RSS:

Answers

Answers and Comments

Markdown Basics

  • *italic* or _italic_
  • **bold** or __bold__
  • link:[text](http://url.com/ "title")
  • image?![alt text](/path/img.jpg "title")
  • numbered list: 1. Foo 2. Bar
  • to add a line break simply add two spaces to where you would like the new line to be.
  • basic HTML tags are also supported

Question tags:

×535
×440
×18
×4

question asked: 30 Apr '14, 10:48

question was seen: 3,362 times

last updated: 09 May '14, 14:02

NOTICE: help.openstreetmap.org is no longer in use from 1st March 2024. Please use the OpenStreetMap Community Forum