http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: "Why I prefer Ordnance Survey maps" en Fri, 19 Jun 2026 10:31:18 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040&page=2#post-74350 Wed, 13 Jun 2012 18:10:42 +0000 chdot 74350@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"When building Maps, we looked around and realized the best transit apps for metros, for hiking, for biking, are coming from our developers," Forstall told developers. "And so instead of trying to develop those ourselves, we are going to integrate and feature and promote your apps for transit right within the Maps app in iOS 6."</p> <p><a href="http://iphone.appleinsider.com/articles/12/06/13/apple_hands_off_transit_directions_to_third_party_apps_in_ios_6_maps.html" rel="nofollow">http://iphone.appleinsider.com/articles/12/06/13/apple_hands_off_transit_directions_to_third_party_apps_in_ios_6_maps.html</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040&page=2#post-74095 Tue, 12 Jun 2012 17:01:27 +0000 Rabid Hamster 74095@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Remember OSM is 'open' and is only as good as the people inputting to it! Hats off to them for their efforts so far! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040&page=2#post-74088 Tue, 12 Jun 2012 15:54:30 +0000 cb 74088@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Whereas OSM coverage for Kings Cross is great.</p> <p>I find that OSM is so much better than Google Maps in the UK, particularly for urban areas. Especially true for paths and more open public areas.</p> <p>However on a recent trip to rural Spain, OSM coverage was terrible, whilst Google Maps seemed to have virtually every donkey track mapped (although you have to zoom annoyingly far in to see most of them).</p> <p>Fortunately Google Maps on Android can precache maps so there weren't any data issues.</p> <p>Mind you I remember the first time I used Open Street Map. I waited about 10 minutes to display a spidery tangle of a few lines, representing Edinburgh, tried to scroll/zoom in then prompty gave up.</p> <p>Whereas Google Maps launched with a surprisingly finished product.</p> <p>It was a bit broken in places but that was 'ok' because it was a Beta release. I can't see Apple taking that approach. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040&page=2#post-74065 Tue, 12 Jun 2012 14:14:34 +0000 kaputnik 74065@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Neither is brilliant, but Google is far more mature and useful. Conveys a lot more information and even at the scale it is in that picture I can work out train stations, railway lines, 4 classifications of roads, parks and water features.</p> <p>On the IOS map I can see a few roads, parks and water features that disagree with google, what might be railway lines , with a misleading through-route into KX, some green boxes and a pink square.</p> <p>I think Apple is in danger of falling into a massive hole of their own digging marked variously "if it ain't broke" and a copy of the business b*llshit management guide bookmarked at the page on "reinventing the wheel" </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040&page=2#post-74029 Tue, 12 Jun 2012 12:46:04 +0000 chdot 74029@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"</p> <p>James Ball (@jamesrbuk)</p> <p>11/06/2012 23:44</p> <p>@corxo IOS one is prettier, but not sure it's actually easier to use...</p> <p>"<br /> "</p> <p>Alastair Jardine (@aj_ux)</p> <p>11/06/2012 23:51</p> <p>@corxo Oh, there’s so much wrong with Apple’s maps. It’s like they forgot cartography as a discipline completely.</p> <p>" </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040&page=2#post-74023 Tue, 12 Jun 2012 12:34:20 +0000 chdot 74023@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"<br /> Chris Cross (@corxo)</p> <p>11/06/2012 23:43</p> <p>Here’s new iOS6 maps and the normal Google Maps side by side for Kings X. Which would you rather use? </p> <p>"</p> <p><img src="http://p.twimg.com/AvJKk-rCQAAWFaZ.png:small"> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73970 Tue, 12 Jun 2012 09:19:40 +0000 cb 73970@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It's quite fascinating to wonder how a company (even as rich as Apple) goes about creating their own (presumably global) mapping service.</p> <p><a href="http://geothought.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/apple-maps-predictions-and-questions.html">Some speculation here.</a></p> <p>So, aquisitions of various bits of technology and potentially purchasing map data from a 3rd party.</p> <p>"One interesting question is where the 2D map data will come from. The simplest and probably lowest risk option for Apple would be to buy data from NAVTEQ (now part of Nokia) or Tele Atlas (part of TomTom). This is fairly expensive, but Apple is not short of money, and either are pretty well proven options."</p> <p>Also some speculation in that link that they might use OSM data but that seems less likely. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73912 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 21:24:13 +0000 chdot 73912@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="http://www.apple.com/uk/ios/ios6/#maps" rel="nofollow">http://www.apple.com/uk/ios/ios6/#maps</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73910 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 21:15:44 +0000 kaputnik 73910@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I hope that is a very early prototype map and not what the final version might look like... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73900 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 20:34:37 +0000 chdot 73900@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>And there's about to be another (digital) option.</p> <p>"<br /> Entirely new Apple homegrown mapping<br /> solution built from the ground up with all cartography done in-house by apple</p> <p>by AppleInsider<br /> 7:40 PM</p> <p>"<br /> <a href="http://live.appleinsider.com/Event/Live_from_Apples_WWDC_2012_Opening_Keynote_Address/32458132" rel="nofollow">http://live.appleinsider.com/Event/Live_from_Apples_WWDC_2012_Opening_Keynote_Address/32458132</a></p> <p><a href="http://live.appleinsider.com/Event/Live_from_Apples_WWDC_2012_Opening_Keynote_Address/32458878"><img src="http://images.scribblelive.com/2012/6/11/2380f26f-941f-4fe1-af74-27c08960a029.jpg"></a></p> <p>"<br /> Apple has been flying over cities to build 3D models, similar to what google reviewed it has been working on last week at its own event.<br /> by AppleInsider 7:43 PM</p> <p><img src="http://images.scribblelive.com/2012/6/11/30203e2b-dbc7-4048-b6d1-b93566bae304.jpg"></p> <p>"</p> <p><a href="http://live.appleinsider.com/Event/Live_from_Apples_WWDC_2012_Opening_Keynote_Address/32459470" rel="nofollow">http://live.appleinsider.com/Event/Live_from_Apples_WWDC_2012_Opening_Keynote_Address/32459470</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73890 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 20:03:53 +0000 kaputnik 73890@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@smudge seeing as the guy who invented it wasn't born until after Napoleon was in charge of the Grand Army, I think Major Downie may have been BSing us a bit. At least he was right about the French bit! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73888 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 19:51:19 +0000 crowriver 73888@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Old school bart half-inch to the mile</em></p> <p>The Forth one has a great detailed map of the north Edinburgh path network, well before the 'inner tube' map. It's weird though, they look more like railway lines on that map from 1934... ;-) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73885 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 19:39:57 +0000 crowriver 73885@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>It's good, but you then have to download the gpx track and upload it onto another site as, because of licensing issues with Ordnance Survey, the resulting map cannot be displayed publicly</em></p> <p>Yeah, a bit annoying that. I used it for the trial Dumfries run route, and the detail in the OS maps is really useful, especially bike paths and forest tracks which are not roads. I downloaded the GPX and then loaded it into Bike Route Toaster for saving and sharing online. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73884 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 19:38:53 +0000 LivM 73884@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Re: Bikehike - good but it runs out of OS Tiles later in the day.<br /> I use the newbingtestpage site for occasionally printing off a page that we're going for a walk or a cycle on. I use bikehike for plotting and planning nice rides to go on. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73881 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 19:25:38 +0000 minus six 73881@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Old school bart half-inch to the mile:</p> <p><a href="http://maps.nls.uk/series/bart_scotland_halfinch_list.html" rel="nofollow">http://maps.nls.uk/series/bart_scotland_halfinch_list.html</a></p> <p>CTC accredited, natch.. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73872 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 16:35:56 +0000 Smudge 73872@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Kaputnik, I thought the mil was a forces only unit of measure and the rest of the world used Deg, minutes and seconds? Hadn't heard of the Napoleon link...</p> <p>Edited to add, wikipedia is my friend :-) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angular_mil" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angular_mil</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73869 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 16:29:43 +0000 DaveC 73869@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I got a load of free mapping stuff of OS the other day. You cna now go online and order all their maps for you're own use in raster format I think, and they deliver it free on CD. I have one CD so far and just need to find time to look at what is on it. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73867 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 16:22:02 +0000 Rabid Hamster 73867@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@cb: You <u>can</u> put OSM via 'Talky Toaster' into BaseCamp, then buy Ordnance Survey tiles at a terrific cost of course, and you can overlay them together on Garmin GPSs and in BaseCamp. I do this all the time in another 'disguise'!<br /> you can also do some of this in Google Earth for specific 'routes/tracks', plus you can export chunks of GE into Garmin BaseCamp as well, so allowing you to overlay ortho corrected aerial photography.<br /> Also you can thank Gordon Brown MP ex PM (for Dunfermline) for making Ordnance Survey release smaller scale mapping for 'open' use (as long as you give acknowledgement of copyright!). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73864 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 16:09:24 +0000 cb 73864@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I went to a lecture given by an OS chap several years ago where he stated that one of the aims of the OS was to become financially self-sustaining through selling its products.</p> <p>Not sure where that got to and how/if it was affected by opening up some of their data a few years back. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73860 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 16:00:07 +0000 sallyhinch 73860@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It's good, but you then have to download the gpx track and upload it onto another site as, because of licensing issues with Ordnance Survey, the resulting map cannot be displayed publicly</p> <p>I agree - OS maps are lovely and I'm sure cost money to create to that high standard. But if you don't need something of that quality then OSM maps don't tie you into a restrictive licence. Especially as we've already paid for the OS ones through our taxes. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73854 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:58:37 +0000 kaputnik 73854@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Crowriver I like the sound of that site, will explore it later </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73849 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:31:20 +0000 crowriver 73849@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Here you get Googol, OSM and OS side by side. You can output your oute as GPX too...</p> <p><a href="http://bikehike.co.uk/index.php" rel="nofollow">http://bikehike.co.uk/index.php</a></p> <p>"This website is intended for anyone wanting to create or view routes on either Google or Ordnance Survey maps. Since the Ordnance Survey maps are limited to the United Kingdom, this site is primarily intended for UK users. Non-UK users may find it useful operating in single map mode (i.e. Google map + elevation data).</p> <p>The great advantage of the Ordnance Survey maps (particularly the Landranger series) is the huge amount of detail they contain. Therefore mountain bikers and hikers can now create routes along byways, bridleways and footpaths. Roadies may also find it useful to see the added level of detail contained on the OS maps.</p> <p>Features:</p> <p>Simultaneous course creation on Google and Ordnance Survey maps.<br /> Upload and download of routes to and from GPS units (GPX, TCX, KML and TRL formats).<br /> Upload &amp; download directly to a Garmin GPS unit using the Garmin Communicator Plugin.<br /> Interactive elevation profile - hover or click on the elevation graph to see corresponding route point.<br /> Toggle between elevation and gradient view on elevation graph.<br /> UK postcode and place name search.<br /> Auto routing on the Google map.<br /> Add coursepoints to aid navigation.<br /> Add points of interest to add information to routes.<br /> Distance and elevation data continuously calculated for your route.<br /> Course editing facilities - including Google style route dragging .<br /> Printable courses on both Google and OS maps." </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73841 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:58:02 +0000 kaputnik 73841@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>If you look closely at the OS site, they've come on in leaps and bounds in opening up their data to other people. Yes it's not OSM, but it's far better than where they were a few years back.</p> <p>And the OS work very hard to produce spectacular, accurate and up to date maps covering the whole country down to minute detail. And that costs money, so its not altogether immoral that they ask for some when you buy a paper map or want to get your hands on their data. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73840 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:56:53 +0000 cb 73840@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>My list of things that the OS has done over the years to upset me is really pretty small.</p> <p>Top of the list is probably no longer identiying the map cover photos, and that's a pretty petty thing to get upset about. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73837 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:52:59 +0000 PS 73837@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>In my book, OS maps are right up there in the "things Britain does best" list.</p> <p>And the list of great things that were originally created for military purposes is very very long.</p> <p>@cb That is possibly the best link ever. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73836 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:51:35 +0000 kaputnik 73836@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>My Higher maths teacher was a TA and used to endlessly go on about the Mil and cannons and how we could thank Napoleon for the Mil. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73835 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:51:23 +0000 Dave 73835@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>As a taxpayer I own Ordinance Survey (a small portion of it anyway) - which would make it an odd thing to hate.</p> <p>I do like OpenStreetMap though. There's nothing like flicking open a new tab and confirming that there really is a navigable path between A and B... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73833 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:33:21 +0000 Smudge 73833@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"<em>the proponents of the wiki-democratic Open Street Map loath the Ordnance Survey with a passion. It stands for everything they’re against: closed systems, the tyranny of the professional and paying for stuff.</em>" </p> <p>What a bizarre thing to say! Why on earth would people creating free to use electronic maps "hate" an organisation that has provided world class maps for years (and years before the advent of "E-mapping"!).<br /> It was made (originally) to assist Gunners (the clue is in the name ;-)) and was produced for use by professionals, obviously is has become very useful for many members of the public as well and the OS have produced hard copies for them (the public) for years at a pretty reasonable cost to be fair.<br /> Go to some countries I've been to and if you're found in possession of a map you'll be arrested for espionage! We're not so bad here :-)</p> <p>(Oh and you can thank the Artillery for the invention of the grid system as well! Some "military" developments are decidedly useful for peaceful ends :-)) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73831 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:30:27 +0000 cb 73831@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"It would be nice if you could project the OSM cyclepath layers onto an OS background and try get the best of both worlds. "</p> <p>Something like this would be good. This is OS mapping and Google Maps side by side:</p> <p><a href="http://openspace.nearby.org.uk/wheresthepath.htm">http://openspace.nearby.org.uk/wheresthepath.htm</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7040#post-73827 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:22:24 +0000 kaputnik 73827@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Good point Steveo. OS diligently catalogues rights of way, potential paths etc., but what OSM is always going to have is user feedback about surfaces and conditions - and most importantly - cyclability!</p> <p>It would be nice if you could project the OSM cyclepath layers onto an OS background and try get the best of both worlds. </p>