User:Andrewg oz

en	This user is a native speaker of English.

Background

I discovered OSM in June 2009, and have been enthusiastically mapping parts of my home city, Perth, Australia, ever since.

I found OSM via a program called GeoSetter that I was using to geotag my photographs. I was geotagging my photographs after I upgraded my camera to a Ricoh 500SE that features built-in connectivity to Bluetooth GPS receivers and geotags photos. Naturally, if my new photos are being geotagged, all my old ones should be too! :)

I've always been fascinated by maps. When I was much younger I would meticulously map my computer RPG games, like Ultima IV or Eye of the Beholder. I have to say, OSM is much more interesting.

I also have an interest in electronics, and am pondering a design for a cheap geotagging camera based on ideas described on OSM GPS.

Tools and Methods

My mapping tools are:

• HTC Desire Z Android phone.
• Vespucci
• OpenStreetBugs
• My bicycle!

Before a survey I'll try to map the area as thoroughly as possible using Potlatch, so that the actual surveying is mostly filling in those details that can only be obtained by visiting the area. If any points need special attention I'll mark then in OpenStreetBugs so I can find them easily on my ride using Vespucci. Once there, I use Vespucci to directly edit the data.

Areas Mapped

So far I've filled in bits of Karrinyup and Stirling, and basically all the residential streets in the City of Joondalup north of Whitfords Avenue. I've generally tried to correct abbreviated street names where I've noticed them (ongoing).

I'm currently 'filling in' unnamed streets in the north and east of the Perth metro area, focussing on areas that are already almost completely named, but just missing a few here and there. After that I'll start on the largely unnamed outer suburbs to the north and east.

Vespucci

Since I got my Android phone and found Vespucci, I've been contributing several bug features and enhancements to the project, tackling the issues that have annoyed me while surveying. The new phone and software have greatly streamlined my surveying, whereas I'd spend several hours on the bike surveying and taking photos, then spend several more hours on the computer handling the photos and updating the map, I now just spend the several hours on the bike directly editing the map and hardly have to spend any time fixing things up afterwards.

I've recently added a major new feature to Vespucci - support for OpenStreetBugs. Bugs are displayed on the map, can be edited (additional comments or closed), and new bugs can be placed.

I've also revised the background map tile drawing to improve the display a bit, and fix a major memory leak that caused regular force closes.

All my contributions to OpenStreetMap are released into the public domain. This applies worldwide. In case this is not legally possible, I grant anyone the right to use my contributions for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.