Map quality

[Shorty]

I've created this topic to reach out to our Owner Community to note and discuss your experiences, questions and suggestions for improvement and any other aspect in the use of Map Share Reporter.  Would appreciate any input here relevant to MSR and most certainly from experienced users but not only.

Please keep the topic clear of data queries and the like; we can deal with these much easier in a separate topic or continuing posts in a relevant topic in the list.  Reason why I ask this is that the topic title will be immediately recognisable to another member here and browsers and I hope the posts here will be able to assist where assistance is needed.

[Zsolt Elite Voyager]

@Shorty: Under Opera browser the MSR acts up a bit. You start to type the comment, and each time you press a key, the comment field grows bigger. Depending on the amount of text you input, at some point the SUBMIT button disappears and you have to zoom out to be able to submit.

[fof]

it also doesn't play nicely with Safari on Mac. I use Firefox instead, without any problem. 

[fof]

I already wrote it in some other thread, but as this is now the place to collect our ideas and suggestions, I copy my wishes for MSR here:

1. It should always use the latest maps PLUS the accepted changes coming from other users.
2. It should show where other users have made corrections which are "pending" or have not been accepted
3. For the instances where corrections have not been accepted, a short note WHY this happened would be very useful.
4. Map details such as speed limits, POIs etc. should be visible on the Mapshare Reporter map, so that we can correct the easily
5. For countries using non-latin alphabets for street signage, the Reporter must allow the input of street names/POIs in local alphabet AND with latin characters. For example, I could easily provide many street names in my region in Greece, but cannot do it because the Reporter does not have a second field for street names in a different alphabet.
6. There should be an "express lane" for critical changes, where Tomtom guarantees the verification within a week, so that the change will be incorporated into the next map update.
7. the Reporter should allow users to upload data that allow for a quick verification - such as gpx tracks.
8. the reporter should show coordinates, and allow users to put their report to exact coordinates.
9. if at all possible (legally, that is), the Reporter should offer overlays of aerial/satellite images on the maps, to make reporting (and verification!) easier.
10. the Reporter should issue a receipt of each report, if the user wants it, that contains a reference number and details of the report (coordinates, type of correction...)

[Zsolt Elite Voyager]

@fof: It does show the coordinates in the bottom right corner.

[fof]

true, thanks for pointing it out. I'd like to input coordinates to place my report, but ok, that's a minor point then.

[fof]

I just stumbled over two more points that should be changed in MSR:

1. Street categories should be shown, and we should be enabled to correct them. Sometimes dirt tracks are categorized as paved streets or vice versa, or small roads are categorized higher than bigger ones that are signposted as the "official" way to go from A to B.
2. "Blocking" or "unblocking" streets MUST be possible at any point on the street. Quite often roads are blocked at one specific point, e.g by a security fence or a physical constriction, making them kind of dead-end, but NOT one-way streets. Thus, we should be able to pinpoint the block exactly, rather than "blocking" or "unblocking" the whole street.

[Shorty]

Yes and on your second point, it is VERY important to locate such closures at exactly the real boundary fence between properties and (advise or) comment as such.  One would not like to place such a point in a manner that a house owner be routed into the closed-off section on the opposing side of the closure if you get my drift   . 

[fof]

"in a manner that a house owner be routed into the closed-off section on the opposing side of the closure"

This happens in the street I grew up, in Germany. All kinds of delivery services, plus twice an ambulance and once a firetruck got stuck in this street because they were routed wrongly and could not pass a constriction. The street is narrow, so the trucks had to drive back in reverse gear - people could die because of the time lost in this way...

[Shorty]

Have a look at my reply to TomTomista - covers this particular issue - this comment is, strictly seen, out of the topic here so let's try hard to list improvements and/or suggestions as to how Map Share Reporter can be improved based on your experience-in-use.