Which Gps? - Page 3 - Horizons Unlimited

**beddhist** · #31 10 Feb 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by apapadop

OpenStreetMap:
...
+ Result: Free. It costs nothing, is provided in many formats, you can do ANYTHING you want with it.

You can (e.g. make Garmin maps from it), if

you download the OSM data,
buy cgpsmapper Pro to produce auto-routing maps and
spend 100's of hours learning how to produce usable GPS maps.

I have uploaded a bit of data to OSM and have found that most of my POIs simply don't show up on the GPS. If you read the forums you will find that OSM at present is basically a map database. It needs others to produce usable maps from the data. What you see on the web is just a preview, so to speak. The guy who runs the Garmin conversion process is doing a fine job, but as I said, most POIs just aren't there.

Bob is also trying to map the world, but it's squarely aimed at bike travellers. I've had the privilege of alpha testing a new system where people can edit tracks and waypoints into the map on their own PC, upload the result and shortly after the GPS map in MapSource is updated and can be sent to the GPS.

I think if somebody would step in and provide free webhosting to Bob, then perhaps his maps could be free, too. In any case, he has said that the new Thailand map will be free to all and as far as I can tell it will have more and more accurate roads than any other free Thailand map (although OSM is getting close - if you can read Thai).

**apapadop** · #32 11 Feb 2010

Let us not lose the forest for the tree here.

You can do ANYTHING with OpenStreetMap, including support an earthquake response, which would not possible or legal with Wanderlust.

As for the "I-don't-care-about-the-world-I-just-want-good-biker-maps" person, a practical side-by-side comparison of different GPS maps should suffice.

Alexandros

**seizetheday** · #33 16 Feb 2010

Didn't notice if this was mentioned, but take a look at this for something smaller:

New zÅ«mo 220 Scales Down Size and Price of Motorcycle Navigation

cheaper, and available in the next few weeks I understand.

I suppose I ought to read this long thread now...

d.