The OpenStreetMap Foundation is launching a new communication platform for the OpenStreetMap community at community.openstreetmap.org. Interested? Give it a try and find out how you can get involved with the next steps!
Screenshot of the new forum’s “feedback” category
Behind the scenes, the new space is powered by Discourse, a modern open source solution for online conversations. It is fully integrated with OSM accounts to let you log in with your existing user name. Discourse is easy to use and offers all the conveniences you would expect from social online spaces in the 2020s. At the same time, it gives power users access to optional advanced features: Write and receive posts through email, subscribe to RSS feeds, and more!
Of course, this is not the first platform dedicated to mappers’ conversations about their favourite passion. But while the new community space has been set up in parallel to the existing platforms provided by the Foundation (notably the forum, help site and mailing lists), we hope that the sub-communities on those platforms will eventually migrate to the new site. Likewise, we encourage communities currently using proprietary tools to consider adopting the new site for their communication needs. In particular, we are prepared to work with regional communities and local chapters – let us know on the Discourse forum what you need for your community to make this space your new home for discussing your local activities!
Choosing a solution that is hosted on our own infrastructure and based open-source software ties into the OpenStreetMap Foundation’s commitment to open communication channels. To ensure productive conversations and a welcoming environment, please respect our recently updated etiquette guidelines when you participate in the new forum. We hope that all members of the OSM community feel right at home at community.osm.org!
The State of the Map Working Group is delighted to thank everyone who took part in the SotM 2022 Call for Logo and to finally reveal the winning one for this year’s global conference that will be held in Firenze (Italy) around August 19 – 21, as well as online!
The call for logo designs received more than 15 proposals from creative contributors from all over the world! We were excited to see such a warm response to the logo contest across the enthusiastic OpenStreetMap community, discovering different perspectives on a global project and learning from your inspirations for the State of the Map 2022 image and atmosphere.
…however, only one design will be the new face of this year’s conference! Congratulations to Feye Andal for submitting the winning logo inspired by the symbol of the City of Firenze, the iconic lily!
The brand-new logo of this year’s conference will also shape the style of the design and graphic of the SotM branding, stickers, T-shirts and the website!
Be ready to share with the OpenStreetMap community your projects, achievements, inspirations and not only: the Call for talks, workshops and panels is officially open! The talks, workshops, and panels are the heart of the conference and would not be possible without the inspiring and exciting contributions of the entire community. As of now we are accepting your talks and presentations within – but not limited to – the following State of the Map 2022 categories:
OSM Basics: Information dedicated to newcomers
Community & Foundation: Bringing people together, working group experiences, strategies & vision
Mapping: All about making the mapping easier and better
Cartography: Your ideas on how to create good-looking manifestations of the OSM dataset
Software Development: Software for processing and editing data
Data Analysis & Data Model: Reflections about the OSM data, its model and analysis of quality and completeness
User Experiences: Tell your creative projects or surprising story of using OSM as an end-user
Academic Track: There will be a proper academic track, it will be announced separately
Deadlines
25 April 2022 23:59:59 UTC: Deadline talk and workshop submissions
End of May 2022: End of review phase, speakers will be informed
June 2022: Talk video production (test video and final video)
August 2022: Lightning talk video production
19 – 21 August 2022: State of the Map
For more information on these categories, on submission requirements and rating criteria, please visit the submission page on pretalx: https://pretalx.com/sotm2022/cfp Stay tuned to know more about the news and the events of State of the Map 2022! See you in Firenze and online
The State of the Map Working Group
Do you want to translate this and other blogposts in your language…? Please email communication@osmfoundation.org with subject: Helping with translations in [your language]
The State of the Map conference is the annual, international conference of OpenStreetMap, organised by the OpenStreetMap Foundation. The OpenStreetMap Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation, formed in the UK to support the OpenStreetMap Project. It is dedicated to encouraging the growth, development and distribution of free geospatial data for anyone to use and share. The OpenStreetMap Foundation owns and maintains the infrastructure of the OpenStreetMap project, and you can support it by becoming a member. The State of the Map Organising Committee is one of our volunteer Working Groups.
OpenStreetMap was founded in 2004 and is an international project to create a free map of the world. To do so, we, thousands of volunteers, collect data about roads, railways, rivers, forests, buildings and a lot more worldwide. Our map data can be downloaded for free by everyone and used for any purpose – including commercial usage. It is possible to produce your own maps which highlight certain features, to calculate routes etc. OpenStreetMap is increasingly used when one needs maps which can be very quickly, or easily, updated.
