Dear all,
We've recently released ImageInOsm [1], a mobile application designed to help OpenStreetMap contributors to better document OSM object using pictures.
The process is currently very simple: - a user is nearby a real-life "object", - using his smartphone, he picks the corresponding OSM object on a map - he takes a picture of that object - this picture is then shared on an online repository (Flickr at the moment) with the OSM object id in the metadata Have a look at the screenshots on the app website [1] to get an idea. I can also play with the Android test package [2].
The main advantage of ImageInOsm over a classic camera application is the attached OSM object id. It will allow other contributors to find and use these pictures.
For some reasons, the unique supported picture repository is Flickr at the moment. We would like to offer an alternative and we think that Wikimedia Commons might be a good one for the following reasons: - the process of taking a picture to document this object [3] is quite close to documenting this object [4] - we feel like the philosophy of both Wikimedia projects and OpenStreetMap are compatible (and indeed, there is already some collaboration)
Since I'm new to the Wikimedia ecosystem, I have many questions on how to do that: - first of all, is it acceptable to associate one (or several) external links to a file/picture stored on Commons? - is there any existing format to point an OpenStreetMap resource? Should I create a template for that? and/or use other_fields in the Information template? - apart Title and Description, is there any required or strongly encouraged fields that the user should enter?
Technically speaking, I'm planning to use the Mediawiki API to send the picture and related data. If you know about a JavaScript wrapper for this API, I would be happy to try it.
Another request, a little embarassing... Yesterday, I've tried to send a dummy picture to Commons [5], just to see how it works, but now I'm not sure how to undo this... I've found the {{speedydelete}} tag, is it the way to go? By the way, is there any dev instance of Commons where I can play safely with the API? If not, is there a procedure somewhere to set up a similar instance (we already have a mediawiki instance but I believe the instance configuration has an impact)?
[1] http://naturalsolutions.github.io/ImageInOsm/ [2] http://depot.natural-solutions.eu/ImageInOsm/ImageInOsm-0.1.apk [3] http://www.openstreetmap.org/browse/way/69137913 [4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre-Dame_de_la_Garde [5] https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Black_gbassiere_1.jpg
Please also note that I've already had a discussion with Kolossos about that matter on the OSM Talk list, the thread is available at: http://lists.openstreetmap.org/pipermail/talk/2013-August/068079.html
Best regards
Gilles Bassière NATURAL SOLUTIONS http://www.natural-solutions.eu