What are the advantages & disadvantages of having your own database for OpenStreetMap?

Question

Hi! I'm doing a Route Planning Application using OpenStreetMap. The target area is the National Capital Region of the Philippines. I need the road vector data and some of the other POIs for the project. I'm thinking if it is better to get the data (the .OSM files) and place it in my own database or contribute to the Online database instead. I'll be adding new type of POIs for my project. I'm considering access speed among other things. I need your opinion on this. Thanks a lot!

Answer 1

Hi, there are a lot of pros and cons at both approaches; I lack the expertise (or the influence) on the Open Street Map Project to help you decide, but I'd suggest you ask on the mailing lists, at http://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo . Good luck and congrats on your project.

Answer 2

Use this as a guide for deciding if you should add your new tags to the OpenStreetMap database or create your own database for them:

• Check if the new tags are really new for OpenStreetMap (see Map Features).
  • If they are not new, then just add new data in the already existing tagging scheme to the OpenStreetMap database.
  • If they are new, think if the tags are of importance for the OpenStreetMap user base.
    • If they are important for users, think of a good tagging scheme and add them directly to the OpenStreetMap database. Maybe create a proposal for your tagging scheme to spread the word about it.
    • If the new tags are only important for you application, put them in your own database and overlay OpenStreetMap data with it. Consider providing data dumps under a liberal license of your additional data to make it simple for people to experiment with it and create new applications.

Access speed is of course more reliable if you have your own database. Since a few months it is possible to have your own, minutely updated OpenStreetMap database: There are minutely diffs available for keeping your local Planet.osm extract up-to-date!