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TX Landmark deletes

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I don't know if this is part of the same incident, but I've noticed a few major and minor landmarks gone in TX:

University of Texas (IIRC this was divided into several smaller landmarks for different areas of campus): https://www.waze.com/editor/?lon=-97.73 ... TTTFTTTTFT

Park landmark: https://www.waze.com/editor/?zoom=4&lat ... TTTFTTTTFT

Baylor University: https://www.waze.com/editor/?zoom=5&lat ... TTTFTTTTFT

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Post by Alice2
The same thing is happening in San Antonio, TX. Many landmarks which I think should be considered important to mark have disappeared from the update map and the client. There are too many to include all in permalinks, but the list includes a university campus, other schools, parks, cemeteries, large shopping centers, amusement parks, parking lots, gas stations.
https://www.waze.com/editor/?lon=-98.61 ... TTTTTTTTFT
South of Loop 1604 is the campus of the University of Texas at San Antonio, north of Loop 1604 is The Shops at La Cantera and the Six Flags Fiesta Texas area.
https://www.waze.com/editor/?lon=-98.60 ... TTTTTTTTFT
East of I-10 is a cemetery, a park, and farther east a high school campus. These were all previously marked as landmarks.
There are many others scattered all over town.
There seems to be a widespread epidemic.
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Post by allaboutxy
I've also noticed a lot of landmarks have been removed in the Plano/Richardson/Murphy/Wylie/etc. area. Although my AM area extends to most of the Dallas/N. Dallas/Collin County area, I primarily stick to things around my home/work since I drive those the most and verify changes, etc. I understand, Brooks' opinion, but have to disagree, respectfully of course. ;) As far as the issue of clutter goes, that's the benefit of being able to turn those layers off. Some people don't like to see cameras...that doesn't mean they should all be deleted.

Since we can't see who deleted something I can't contact that person to find out why they deleted them. I've re-added most of them since the things removed were mostly are schools and parks. Also things like malls can be useful since they don't pinpoint a specific store. I would say that if you're going to go start deleting a bunch of landmarks, a courtesy PM to the person who created them would be nice.

Also, as to not mapping local businesses, I think that we can continue to improve Waze, not only for directions, but for POI help as well. Finally, it's always helpful to have landmarks orient you. I would venture that most people don't blindly turn left/right/right/left/left/left/right when the GPS tells them to. Being able to see on the map that your right turn is next to the Taco Bell (or whatever) can be helpful.

-Billy
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Post by AndyPoms
andrewfatcat wrote:
bscharff wrote:As it was said, if we cannot label all of the local businesses, then we cannot label any of them. Gas stations are a feature of the client... and we are adding them all. Grocery stores are not a feature, and there is no plan for them to be. It wastes data on the server, and transmitting it to the client. The only purpose of Waze is to navigate to locations in the most efficient way, taking into account traffic information. They added the gas station feature as it relates to driving. Seeing Bob's Storage or Walmart has no place here, and just clutters the map (both in WME AND in the client)
I don't think it costs that much of data. And there are more non-existent roads that may take more data space than that. If that would be a problem, waze wouldn't let people do it. And it is not for you nor me to decide how the app should just solely be used for navigation only. Moreover, waze now mostly relies on external sources, it is probably a better approach to build up its own POI database when other major gps brands already have that. And I don't see people complain google or other map service when they all display a lot of POIs.

And like what I have said, you can just turn off the landmark layer in WME, and the landmark display in the client can be improved (it already displays landmarks accordingly for different sizes in different zoom levels), and you shouldn't remove someone else's work just because your personal preference.
A few notes...

1) Most major GPS brands don't have their own POI database - they buy their database (and can't update as frequently as Waze's maps do) from one of a few providers (NavTeq, Tele Atlas, etc)

2) The editing guidelines clearly state not to map individual businesses - there are several reasons for this, including the fact that Waze is looking to those very businesses to be advertisers with the service. Please follow the published editing guidelines.

Also, moving this to the Texas Forum...
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Post by AndyPoms
andrewfatcat wrote:I don't encourage people to add individual business. However, if it was already added by someone else, or someone was willing to add it voluntarily (even by the owner), I don't think it is justify to delete them or stop them if the information is correct.
The guidelines clearly state they should not be on the map. Which means if they are, they should be removed.
andrewfatcat wrote:I think the advertisements they are working on are things popup like events on the map, not just normal landmarks or POIs.
The advertising works similar to landmarks. The image below shows a Dunkin Donuts Advertising Pin, which appears on the map in any mode (if you scroll down) as well as landmarks (if you scroll right)
Screenshot_2012-11-24-07-46-11.png
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Post by AndyPoms
andrewfatcat wrote:And BTW... it was off to the point a little bit.
The landmarks were removed were not private business. They were college campus or other public facilities and major attractions.
I'm fine with using a landmark for a college campus... It's "Joe's House of BBQ" where the problem lies...
bscharff wrote:if they are large it might be more preferable to map individual buildings and parking lots instead of the entire campus as to not suppress traffic alerts generated on-campus. Some campuses use Waze for this, and I'm sure more would if alerts wouldn't be suppressed.
It may be more advisable to use one big college landmark, and a mix of (Private) Streets & Parking Lot Roads for jam suppression. Individual buildings should probably not be mapped.
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Post by AndyPoms
bscharff wrote:I had typed up a long response to this, but the forum is stupid and logged me out after 3 minutes
Yea, the forum log-in has been doing some odd things for me today too... I've had to login at least 5 different times today - more than in the past 6 months combined...
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Post by AndyPoms
bscharff wrote:1) I know the 30 has nothing to do with it, they just crack me up when I see them on major highways with speed limits of 70, in a city that does not allow usage of Speed Cameras.
Personally, I enjoy the red light cameras posted on the Interstate Highways (which don't have any traffic lights on them & in a State that doesn't allow any type photo enforcement).
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Post by AndyPoms
andrewfatcat wrote:P.S. Landmarks can overlapped each other so one can still add individual buildings even the whole campus is marked already.
Yes, they can overlap, BUT there is no distinction between them in the client, just extra names floating in one giant light blue blob, which is why it is not recommended. There is also the difficulty of editing these overlapping landmarks, sometimes smaller ones gets buried below larger ones in WME and can't be selected without moving the larger one out of the way.
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Post by AndyPoms
andrewfatcat wrote:
bscharff wrote:Again, arguing with a Waze Champ... :/
Why can't I? This is a free country.
Hey, I'm not complaining...
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Post by Biggiejohn
AndyPoms wrote:
bscharff wrote:1) I know the 30 has nothing to do with it, they just crack me up when I see them on major highways with speed limits of 70, in a city that does not allow usage of Speed Cameras.
Personally, I enjoy the red light cameras posted on the Interstate Highways (which don't have any traffic lights on them & in a State that doesn't allow any type photo enforcement).
there are very few legitimate red light cameras in my area and I have double and triple checked all the "approved" ones with the lists published by the county/city police.
Whenever I ever see new ones show up on the maps, I just delete them, free edit points.
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