In a previous post on Upande.com, OSM technology used in MapKibera.org was described. One may wonder how the OSM model compares to Google MapMaker which is Google's 'editable Google Maps', and of which all vectors can also be downloaded for free for non commercial use.

OSM differs in the fact that it is mainly built up with GPS on the ground by local experts. This is more accurate though also more time consuming than tracing on top of satellite imagery, which is characteristic of Google's approach. As Google can easily provide high resolution satelite imagery and can benefit from any contributors they are able to mobilize all working in the 'cloud', their approach is more scalable though potentially also less accurate from a thematic perspective, depending on the community they are able to engage.

There are quite a few comparing studies online including Mikel's analysis which analyses coverage for Nairobi objectively but is clearly written from an OSM perspective in terms of licensing. For individuals or organisations wanting themselves to be found through any of the Google platforms within minutes, MapMaker is the way to go. And with Google's dominance in search in general, this is a wise thing to do for most people.

Downloading of MapMaker GIS data is very interesting for the non commercial sectors due to Google's impressive satellite imagery acquisition channels and their unrestricted data licensing model for non commercial use. For full commercial flexibility either in online or offline maps or based on the raw GIS data, OSM has a lot more to offer.

So both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages and have proven that they have made huge impacts. MapKibera definitely fills a hole in any map, including in Google's map. And the level of detail captured in a densely populated area such as Kibera can definitely not be captured on satellite imagery.