Talk:Track drawing websites

merge

!i! suggested to merge. Well, yes, in principle. But the columns vary. This list provides more specialized detail. --Aseerel4c26 (talk) 13:12, 24 February 2014 (UTC)

First, Maps is just a redirect, so not very useful to give that as the target for the merge. Second, it points to List of OSM based Services which is already a massive mess of lists, with all sorts of different things. I don't think it would be helpful to expand it any more. I think this list is more useful as a separate page, which can be given as an answer to specific questions etc. --Vclaw (talk) 12:00, 27 February 2014 (UTC)

I think I agree that merge idea should be rejected. But most of all I agree that the merge label pointing to a redirect is not very useful. I think I'll just remove the merge label now, but if somebody wants to put it back as {{merge|List of OSM-based services}} that would be a sensible starting point for further discussion. -- Harry Wood (talk) 01:01, 28 March 2016 (UTC)

There is also overlap with Routing/online_routers. In theory there may be track-drawing websites which don't also do routing, but most allow you to mix and match to allow routing (because it's faster) but also to override and hand-draw when necessary. Monxton (talk) 10:26, 15 May 2014 (UTC)

Hm... "In theory"? The opposite is visible in the list: most do not support routing. --Aseerel4c26 (talk) 13:49, 15 May 2014 (UTC)

One of the main uses for these websites is for viewing/sharing tracks recorded on GPS devices. eg if I go out on for a walk, I want to upload that track and view it on a map to see where I went, plus share the map with others. So no need for any routing features. Actually drawing a new route from scratch is a somewhat different use, maybe that could be a separate section on this page? But there is some overlap, as you might want to upload a GPS track, then edit it or crop or extend it, to create a new route. --Vclaw (talk) 14:47, 15 May 2014 (UTC)

This may be an issue of nomenclature - quite likely as the same words get overloaded differently all the time in this area. However all of those in your list with which I am familiar: GPSies, BikeRouteToaster, BikeHike, RideWithGPS can be used to create a route semi-automatically. They don't only draw the points you specify. I think the most common use-case for these is to use their router but to override its decisions and hand-draw points where necessary.

Yes, there is also a class of website which is more of a repository for viewing / sharing recorded tracks - for example Everytrail could be added to this list. But not all the websites you list do this - for example BikeHike cannot be used for sharing tracks. I think a better taxonomy is needed if we are to rationalise the wiki pages on all these closely-related topics. FWIW I don't support the merge as proposed, but I am troubled by proliferating wiki pages containing overlapping information. Monxton (talk) 16:25, 15 May 2014 (UTC)

Oh, that is interesting. I did understand "track drawing" mostly in the way that you can manually draw a track but not necessarily upload a gpx track to be visualized. Yes, according to the text and tables columns on this page it tries to be both. --Aseerel4c26 (talk) 23:36, 15 May 2014 (UTC)

Drawing or sharing?

The table does not distinguish between websites that allow the user to draw a route as opposed to track sharing websites. --Cordialement, gerdami 08:13, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

I would add a new column "sharing" then. Drawing sites quite often also allow to "share". --Aseerel4c26 (talk) 23:58, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

Should this page include apps?

Looks like this was written before smartphones took off?

There are many on-phone apps that can make a track and export as .gpx

Do we have a list somewhere else, or should they go here? eteb3 (talk) 07:23, 9 August 2023 (UTC)