Η OpenStreetView is a free service of OpenStreetMap that offers images of roads uploaded by users of the service while using it.
OpenStreetMap is now an open alternative application of Google Maps, Bing Maps and other mapping services. The new OpenStreetView service, however, works differently from similar services such as Google StreetView despite the similarities in name.
The service uses images uploaded by the users of the service themselves, rather than using its own cars companys that sends them to all regions of the world.
This means that you will not have complete images of a road, but only the images that have gone up. Also, the service does not cover all roads, although this is going to change over time as more and more users will start using the service.
This approach has two advantages over other comparable services. First, you can have multiple downloads of the same area and not just one. Second, the photos that come up come in different dates, which means you can choose to see an area at many different times.
The data served by the service may be more up-to-date, since if Google or Bing want to update their data, they need to send their cars to the area again.
OpenStreetView is a pretty interesting service. The approach it uses is open and it seems to be the only possible solution for services not supported by companies with billions of dollars.
Use the application to fill pictures of the streets of Greece!
