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MapQuest are getting ahead of the rest with an instant online OSM (Open Street Map Editor
If you know the area and spot an error on the http://open.mapquest.com sites you can now edit directly using the Potlatch 2 Editor without too much trouble.
Mapquest are pleased with themselves: (and why not?)
"We’ve done it again! Updates are fast and furious on our MapQuest Open sites, powered by OpenStreetMap data. Just this week, we’ve released new edit buttons, ‘send to website’ and ‘right click’ to find the closest thing in your map display.
Our new edit button is really three different edit button or links: below the search result & top right of your map; and edit links that are built into the popup informationbox. The popup information box allows you to choose which OSM editor you want to use in order to edit the location (or surrounding area). Your two edit tool choices are Potlatch 2 (hosted by MapQuest) or JOSM (known as the “Java OpenStreetMap Editor”). Potlatch 2 uses a GUI user interface for easily making edits whereas JOSM allows you to download chunks of the OSM data onto your desktop to edit and then upload the newly changed data back onto the OSM servers for processing. (Note: be sure JOSM is already installed and running when you click the JOSM edit link.)"
Major changes in the interface for editing Open Street Map online.
"You know it. You love it. It's the editor on the main OSM web site. It's Potlatch and it's had some serious renovations. It's so new that now it has a new name, "Potlatch 2". But before Potlatch 2 can go live on the OpenStreetMap web site, it has to be put through it's paces. After more than a year of development, Potlatch 2 is a complete re-write of Potlatch. It has new features too numerous to mention, but for the most important feature; it is an editor for OpenStreetMap. So let's test it. "
Editing is made easier with the legend based editor. Now based in Flash [Potlatch 2 is written in ActionScript 3 using the Flex framework] and more stable than its predecessor. Backgrounds are easier to control (OS Streeview OpenData shown above)
Point of Interest editing (Image source: OSM Wiki)
Try it you might like it. If you want to test this new editor that is now in public alpha you can at http://geowiki.com/
Hopefully this will be implemented in the Open Street Map main site soon.
(invest your money here rather than a UK bank - your get a better return)
And there are thanks from the Open Street Map Team "UPDATE: Thank you to everyone who has donated. Any additional contributions raised will be used to fund additional hardware on other under resourced OpenStreetMap servers."
Sneek Peek - Cycling directions with option to export to JSON or GPX format
"On the evening of the 12th February, CloudMade invite you to preview the future of mapping application development. Our developer launch event will feature a keynote talk from CloudMade Founder Steve Coast, who will share his pioneering vision of mapping."
The evening will also feature presentations from a selection of CloudMade partners who will demonstratenever seen before web and mobile applications built using CloudMade's web services. You'll have the opportunity to talk one on one to the CloudMade team and to our partner developers to find out exactly how CloudMade can help you build better applications.
The London launch event will be held at the Holborn Bars, 138-142 Holborn, The City, London, EC1N 2NQ (view on map). There will be a drinks reception and networking from 6 - 6.30pm followed by presentations and the launch event. The event will conclude around 8.30pm, with some time for additional networking.
"CloudMade's web services are going to change the way your users experience geo apps. We've been working on a set of Tools and APIs to give you access to verified OpenStreetMap data on the platform you choose in the formats you want."
Two developer events in San Francisco and London will introduce you to CloudMade's unique services. If you're a developer building web, mobile or desktop mapping applications, these are the events for you.
Sneek peek video showing the neat map editor 'Edit Map Styles'
