Google Map Maker
Google Map Maker is Google's system for "crowdsourcing" geodata. It is a direct rival to OpenStreetMap in terms of competing for contributors and map editing contributions. OpenStreetMap is better than Google Map Maker for one simple and very fundamental reason:
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Google Map Maker is a closed system. You input raw geo-data, the positions of roads etc, you see it on Google Maps and in a range of downstream services and tools, but... You can't get raw geodata back out again. Google owns the underlying data and they protect their commercial interests by keeping this locked away (even though it was contributed by you) If you spend time contributing to Google Map Maker, you are helping a commercial company to build their market dominance.  |
OpenStreetMap offers open data You input raw geo-data, you see it on openstreetmap.org and in a range of downstream services and tools, and... The raw vector data is available to download with an open license giving everyone the freedom to reuse and redistribute. Data users are permitted to make a commercial profit, but it's all on an even playing field. OpenStreetMap itself is a not-for-profit "good cause" open data organization. If you spend time contributing to OpenStreetMap you are helping a good cause, and building a dataset which can be free and open for all and forever.  |
The difference is night and day, and yet many map users can fail to see it. This is because there is a tendency to focus on the "downstream services and tools".
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The view of the map is a "downstream" service
The view of the map is a "downstream service". The map is generated through a process called rendering which is a one-way conversion, "vector" to "raster". Various style choices are baked into the image and it is chopped up into many square images called tiles, which are then served as a tiled map service out to the web and to mobile devices. This is the case in both OpenStreetMap and Google Maps.
You can make a direct comparison between Google's tile service and OpenStreetMap's tile service. OpenStreetMap's default map style is quite similar to Google's. It shows some interesting features exhibiting our unique data set, rich with locally gathered information in some areas. Some find the style too cluttered. In fact it's designed this way (at least partly) to show and encourage contributions from mappers. Our tile server (a single machine in a cupboard) renders map tiles on-the-fly, allowing contributors to see their changes on the final map within minutes. This is quite a technical feat, and something you don't get when contributing to Google. Meanwhile Google's tile service runs on many powerful servers in worldwide distributed data centres. Although we do benefit from a fast university internet connection (thanks UCL and Imperial College!), perhaps we're not going to out-do Google in terms of server horsepower any time soon. This might mean that our tile service is a little slower than Google's (see if you can notice the difference. It's not very noticeable most of the time). BUT.. All of this is missing the point...
The view of the map is a "downstream service" built on the underlying data. In the case of Google there is no reason you would be aware of this. The underlying data is hidden away. A closed-data system. In the case of OpenStreetMap, anyone and everyone has access to the underlying data, and anyone can run their own rendering and tile serving systems using free open source rendering software. In truth, running a popular worldwide on-the-fly rendering service will require a powerful server and fat bandwidth. This may not interest you if you just want to view a map, until you consider the nature of the open data ecosystem that OpenStreetMap is creating. There are an increasing number of other providers all running their own tile services and configuring custom rendering styles. See for example MapQuest OSM tiles, cloudmade.com, opencyclemap.org). There's nothing unique about the "main" OpenStreetMap tile server. Although we are offering a tile service... it's not really the point.
Other downstream services
Google offers a raft of other services nicely bundled up as part of "Google Maps". Very slick. Very tidy. Very corporate. All of these stem from Google's underlying geodata. Did we mention that this is kept closed?
OpenStreetMap gives developers access to the data. In particular we offer all the data as a single Planet.osm download, and Planet.osm/diffs allow a tool to keep in sync with changes to the map every minute. It is usually these facilities which get used by developers. OpenStreetMap has a rich and varied (and perhaps a little confusing) developer ecosystem, with involvement from students and bedroom coders alongside companies large and small. All of their creations can be thought of as "downstream services" sprouting forth from the open data. Among these are some services which have parallels in the Google Maps arena. For example an open source developer created a tool named Nominatim which consumes raw open data and provides search functionality. The open development and running of this service is now funded by a company, Mapquest, and it is this which powers the search box on the OpenStreetMap homepage. How does Nominatim search compare with Google Maps search? Try it for yourself, but remember... it's not really the point.
The point is that OpenStreetMap is open in ways Google will never be. With access to the raw data the developer ecosystem (particularly with the help of some forward thinking companies) can start to offer services matching those of Google, or perhaps more interestingly, services like XAPI which present filtered map data in a way which Google never will.
Leading the Pack
Licensing and ownership aside many comparisons have been drawn between OSM and Google Map Maker. Both projects are attempting to crowdsource geodata from scratch and particularly so in areas of the world hitherto undermapped or even unmapped.
At the time of Map Maker's launch OpenStreetMap was comparatively more developed and detailed virtually everywhere in the world with the exception of the United States.
Citing license concerns Google decided not to use OpenStreetMap data and instead launched Map Maker as a rival. We believe that this is a mistake. Projects like OpenStreetMap that have a share-alike policy and open access to the data create a virtuous cycle. This will eventually lead to better, fresher data than Google Map Maker.
Incompatible Licensing
Unlike OpenStreetMap, Map Maker is not licensed to provide access to the data. Google claims ownership of the aggregated dataset and users contributions may not be shared or used by anyone other than Google themselves.
Data from Google Map Maker is therefore incompatible with OpenStreetMap and OSM users should not copy data from Map Maker to OSM nor should OpenStreetMap data be entered into Google Map Maker.
Developing countries
Initially Google launched Map Maker in a few developing countries and nations for which the large, commercial geodata companies do not have data. They treated India and Pakistan as a large testbed. They also pushed, and continue to push Google Map Maker to humanitarian aid organisations in areas where HOT are trying to persuade people to do it the OpenStreetMap way.
U.S
In 2011 Google released Map Maker in the U.S.
Summary
We would encourage users who are considering contributing to Google Map Maker to contribute their data and knowledge to OpenStreetMap instead. OpenStreetMap is more detailed, growing more quickly and, most importantly, liberally licensed specifically to allow new and creative uses. By making contributions to OpenStreetMap everyone benefits whereas contributions to Google Map Maker have only limited benefits at best.
