OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap This is a wonderful project that gets normal people mapping roads across the world. Cities in America and Europe have extremely good quality road network data. Unfortunately there are many cities where such information - that is GPS driving directions quality - just does not exist (the whole of India comes to mind). OpenStreetMap is a project aimed squarely at creating and providing free geographic data such as street maps to anyone who wants them. The project was started because most maps you think of as free actually have legal or technical restrictions on their use, holding back people from using them in creative, productive or unexpected ways. - wiki.openstreetmap.org People can organize mapping parties to map out a certain region - see WikiProject Isle of Man (http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/index.php/WikiProject_Isle_of_Man#Mapping_Party) - which I think is a wonderful idea. The 5 steps to making a map Collect Data Upload Data Generate/Edit OSM data Label Data, and Add details Render Maps!