Assembling of a "Guide to contributing to MFM" guide

[Nicholas Chan]

As per my introduction, and a gentle reminder from fancheng, I am putting together the Guide to volunteering and contributing to MalFreeMaps - Now everyone can map! document. The purpose of that document is to encourage and enable all MalFreeMap users to contribute and volunteer in whatever capacity and time they have by giving them a simple and easy to follow guideline on what areas to work on.

I had a nice chat with Edward of ECMS when I arrived at Klang on Saturday (and bought a waterproof Ram Mount for my Nokia E71) and we both were thinking of how this manual can be given to Garmin GPS buyers in ECMS, as well as how companies like his and our own can contribute to MalFreeMap in more tangible manners.

I am in the midst of preparing the content page, and would appreciate it if more comments and advise can be given to me so I can piece the entire document together.

Entry level volunteer work (suitable for casual contributions)
POI
- SG Postal Code verifier and assigner
- POI individual categories project co-ord (to open up by interest by type and source)
- Web-only information harvesters (for batch data compilation, supports POI indiv. cat)
- Existing POI additional details data entry
- POI Error checker
- Theme-based POI project teams (ie. Food via MakanSutra)

Mid level volunteer work (suitable for people with at least 1 hour a day)
- Polygon mapper


High level volunteer work (suitable for people with at least 2 hours a day)
- Tracker

Corporate support (support should be relevant)
- Sharing of mapping related information

Tools of the trade
- MapSource
- MapEdit

[tlchuan]

Thank for the great start

[J-Slade]

Will be looking forward to it.

[fauzee]

this is good Guidance to our members..

[chaicka]

Side-track a little. Would having a SVN helps to manage the contributions via .mp files? SVN has version control, change trail, back-track, etc.

[rcmaps]

Side-track a little. Would having a SVN helps to manage the contributions via .mp files? SVN has version control, change trail, back-track, etc.

We use svn Googlecodes at NZ open GPS maps FWIW.
Works great for us so far. :-)

[Nicholas Chan]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the affirmation but what I need now is:

1.) Can you please CHECK and COMMENT what I propose as the topics and see if I am missing any particular roles?
2.) Can you POINT me to existing threads or resources that have some form of writeup to some of the posts (ie. Polygon drawing threads and tutorials)
3.) Can you please give me a WISH LIST of what you hope to be useful (ie. Data checkers to standardize naming format?)

Thanks!

[Nicholas Chan]

For everyone who has been reading this thread but no reply, please provide me the feedback and suggestions, because:

1.) I never wrote such a guide before.
2.) I never did many of the areas of volunteering (ie. tracking) before so I am merely compiling and providing clarity in the form of a how-to guide
3.) I am always busy with work, and any assistance in resource compilation and collaborating on this would be very much appreciated.

[zamad]

2.) Can you POINT me to existing threads or resources that have some form of writeup to some of the posts (ie. Polygon drawing threads and tutorials)

Looking at the response (or non-response) I guess you have to start on your own, and feedback what you've got. Hopefully by then, when you've gain momentum, members will start chipping in. By knowing keywords, you should be able to search through the forum. And since you said you are busy at work, take it easy...

[BlackAltis]

Hi might I add for item 1 to include routing error. I find that there are many errors in all the maps that I used both in SG and MY.

Rgds