Suggestion Box 2010 & 2011

[antyong (retired)]

Hi members,

If you have any ideas to help MFM improve, please post your suggestions here. In 2009, we had received some good suggestions and managed to implement most of it, making MFM and MFM map better in the process.

Looking forward to more suggestions for 2010

Answers

• sharkteef: MFM Thailand map - this is already ongoing. Progress will depend on feedback and member participation
• add4rum: SG-only POI map - ok. will do soon
• comeonesticks: JV for Garmin - I don't think it is possible any time soon or possibly for ever
• muurali: group tracking - hard to arrange for mutually free time. Also lack of untracked areas except East Coast, East M'sia or Thailand)
• fruitplus: follow official name for govt POIs - will be implemented soon
• wahladino: mapping classes - from past experience, many members are not interested in mapping. Time was wasted to satisfied member curiousity. Mapping is now taught privately to those who shows strong interest
• james_lee: more voice prompts - just let us know which junctions requires voice prompts at our feedback forum
• sivanya51: "Thanks" button - our forum software does not have this feature. Will await for its implementation in the future
• kee020041: create marine map - sure! Will wait for your contributions!
• cstanpj: POI for Commissioners for Oaths - very helpful link. Now we need volunteers to mark this address as waypoints
• 9w2yon: option to exclude MFM SRTM contour map - MFM SRTM contour map is not included by default. The map names you see on Mapsource are blank maps
• msibenn: work with nokiamap - the world is not as simple as that. Nokia has to have the desire to work with amateurs like us. They have to be convinced that our data is original, etc, etc
• shideen: ultra-lite version - the disadvantage of creating such version outweighs the advantage significantly. Will explain the details the next time we meet
• vmq6695: add phonics to improve TTS pronunciation - we will probably do so in the future, for Papago

[sharkteef]

1stttttttt

suggest that thailand be routable by end of 2010.
so one can drive from singapore to north of thailand using 1 gmapsupp.img

[ad4rum]

Using MapSource, I see maps of the regions are in their own .img,
shouldnt "MFM POI: West Malaysia & Singapore" be in their own as well?

like;
MFM POI: West Malaysia
MFM POI: Singapore

Reason behind this, is so that when searching POI,
example, "wisma", it wont show results from both regions since if only 1 map are in used.

This will helps in getting the result faster too, as more and more POI are being added.

Furthermore, I dont drive out of singapore at all, thus the reason I created
only singapore map in that .img (Using MapSource)

[comeonesticks]

I would like to thank the mappers here for creating such wonderful maps!
But one suggestion i am not sure if its still in progress... would be junction view for Garmin GPS...

I just bought garmin 1350 to replace my 205W thinking that it automatically has Junction view with MFM.. then after extensive search.. it is actually due to the hardwork of the mappers then we can get the junction view for Papago GPS...

I prefer MFM than MSM.. used to it already..hehe

I hope i am not asking too much...

[muurali]

I don't know if my suggestion is reasonable or not, but can we organise monthly trackking for every state? This can be done by 4/5 us in a state go together to place and do the trackking...if this can be done then i'm very sure our MFM maps will be a very updated one...what do you think?

[fruitplus]

zeese5 & fauzee: better naming for govt depts - No standard or guideline on this yet

2010 also will have better naming.
Suggest to mapper to rename Government Standard Naming
For e.g: Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia instead of Ministry of Education
IMHO, can be name as Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia (Ministry of Education)
We are prefer to search according to the standard name.
Last time I got problem to find all the government office in Putrajaya but when I try in English they pop out on my nuvi.
Make me

Hope we can solve it, please

[sabre23t]

2. razuryza: add bus stop POIs - KIV
20. alihms: toll charge calculation for routes - No. Asking too much ;)

I just like to respond with some developments in http://maps.google.com "Get Directions" by "Public Transit" in our area ...

(1) A few local transit operators are creating GTFS Feed that will be included in maps.google.com public transit directions. I expect they will make public their GTFS Feed not just provide them to Google. The GTFS Feed includes bus stops POIs. We could then either create Custom POIs file or overlay IMG file with the bus stops POIs.

(2) LTA SG have already created such GTFS Feed file for SBSTransit and SMRT services. For example this Tuas to Sengkang direction providing stop ids for the bus and mrt used. I haven't found LTA publishing said GTFS feed, but someone may want to inquire directly from LTA.

(3) These two sites are good place to find public GTFS data http://www.gtfs-data-exchange.com/ and http://www.citygoround.org/ .

(4) GTFS Feed specification include fare information. It's being used for example in this San Diego Amtrak to Seaworld featured search. It also provide total transit fare versus car driving cost comparison. More featured google transit searches.

So in brief, my 2010 suggestion is to look out for GTFS data, and how to use it with our MFM maps.

[wahladino]

Hope it not too much to ask for.

Can MFM couduct mapping class for member who keen to embak on to mapping a more in-dept knowledge on GPS and map drawing.

[mikelim]

the ideal time is during GG, the mappers can teach a few basic steps on how to use Mapsource/Mapedit etc..... show newbies how polygon mapping is done etc..... it will create an interest on any individuals (like me) who want to take it to the next level...... thus, we will have more polygon mappers in every states......

Hope it not too much to ask for.

Can MFM couduct mapping class for member who keen to embak on to mapping a more in-dept knowledge on GPS and map drawing.

[alihms]

zeese5 & fauzee: better naming for govt depts - No standard or guideline on this yet

2010 also will have better naming.
Suggest to mapper to rename Government Standard Naming
For e.g: Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia instead of Ministry of Education
IMHO, can be name as Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia (Ministry of Education)
We are prefer to search according to the standard name.
Last time I got problem to find all the government office in Putrajaya but when I try in English they pop out on my nuvi.
Make me

Hope we can solve it, please

I too prefer having the POI in its official name in Malay. It is easier to search and you eliminate the problem of different person giving different names / translations.

Can we also standardize the topographic feature too? I saw some rivers called "XXX river" (eg. Perai River) yet some are called "Sungai XXX" (eg Sungai Ular). Worst is Sungai Muda in Kedah. Both variations appear. In the "hulu", it is “Sungai Muda” yet in the "hilir", it is now “Muda River”. Can we standardized into its official name? The same goes for bukit/hill, gunung/mountain, pantai/beach, lata/waterfall and so on.