This article was published on August 24, 2013

Google Maps rival OpenStreetMap makes slick ‘iD’ editor its default map making tool


Google Maps rival OpenStreetMap makes slick ‘iD’ editor its default map making tool
Jon Russell
Story by

Jon Russell

Jon Russell was Asia Editor for The Next Web from 2011 to 2014. Originally from the UK, he lives in Bangkok, Thailand. You can find him on T Jon Russell was Asia Editor for The Next Web from 2011 to 2014. Originally from the UK, he lives in Bangkok, Thailand. You can find him on Twitter, Angel List, LinkedIn.

The OpenStreetMap (OSM) project unveiled iD, a slick editor for its open source take on Google Maps, in May, and today the organization announced that it is now the default editor for its Openstreetmap.org site.

iD, which is built in pure JavaScript with the d3 visualization library, is an ‘easy-mapping’ replacement for its clunkier Flash-based Potlach in-browser editor.

The change is a move that the organization and iD creator MapBox hope will encourage more people to contribute edits and updates to the mapping service, which is used by the likes of Evernote, Hipmunk and Foursquare among others.

id-editor-sotm-us-2013-venue-screenshot

Power users and other Potlach fans can configure the older editor as their default if they prefer, but OSM says that iD is a “more comprehensive help system” that has been built especially for new and inexperienced mappers.

If you’re a first-time user, you can check iD out at Openstreetmap.org.

➤ iD In-Browser Editor Now Default on OpenStreetMap [OSM]

Headline image via clasidyrose / Flickr

Get the TNW newsletter

Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.

Also tagged with