Hi,
I am more and more reluctant to use any Google service (in fact any major profit company service) and I am a bit disappointed that WS is still using Google maps instead of OSM. I know OSM is not perfect every where in the world, but why not making OSM the default layer and let Google maps be an optionnal layer ?
Is there a technical reason for not using OSM ?
Eric
>Is there a technical reason for not using OSM ?
It's extra work to do a switch: if everything has previously been programmed over Google Maps API, re-programming everything to work with some other mapping library would mean extra work. Might not be much though — I don't know Warmshower's internals.
There are benefits though, so I highly recommend the team to look into this! At Trustroots we use MapBox and we've been extremely pleased. Programming with their API means also that we can switch with just quick configuration change to almost anything else, so we're not locked to one provider like we would with Google.
Their data is based on OSM (they're even paying for loads of OSM development) and we can also style it like we want ourself. On mobile we can pretty easily offer offline maps, once we roll out native apps.
Eric,
I agree 100%. I support OSM and update OSM in my area. I use OSM on my GPS as well as my Phone.
Hermann
This has been requested before although the continued non-response from WS doesn't suggest much enthusiasm.
What about not using Google for the maps? | Warmshowers.org https://www.warmshowers.org/node/112383
Open source? | Warmshowers.org https://www.warmshowers.org/node/184111
I rely on OSM for all my bike touring and have found it to be excellent.
For cycle routing in countries covered by the Open Cycle Map project (North America and most of Western Europe), cycle.travel/map provides a free and incredibly good routing tool that let's you make GPX files for your phone or Garmins.