Let's do the update?!

While it would be a good idea to keep all files updated, I can certainly accept and use older files with a specific subject. Noting the date, I might check on some locations before use. For example, I have uploaded a file on Texas Wineries. I am no longer interested in researching the data, but if someone finds an error or a new location, I will certainly update it.

Retail stores are more likely to be out of date than are tourist attractions.

Some POI's just don't need updating, or don't require constant maintenance.

Like mentioned above, wineries, once mapped out don't change. Unless one goes out of business, or a new one opens, there's just not much for maintenance on them.

Also, the people that maintain them are not neccessarily the ones to do all of the research on the subject. They rely on us to tell them of changes that need to be made to POI's.

I live in Tennessee and I've submitted updates to several POI's that are not in my area. I've updated several of the wineries on the Virginia Winery POI from several recent trips. One winery in particular, was in the POI, still on the Virginia Winery website, and when we stopped at the winery, it was closed and out of business. I noted it, and submitted the update when I got home. Another winery was mapped out using it's address and when I followed the POI to the address, it turned out the actual winery was 2 miles further down the road. The address was the mailing address for the owners.

Some of the larger POI's, like chain stores, are put together from lists of addresses and not actually driving to the location, marking it and then compiling the POI. They're mostly created out of interest, and convienience.

I completely understand that CERTAIN files don't require much change. Such files would include landmarks, beaches, museums and anything else that was created to withstand the rigors of time. Now this being said, there are all those hundreds of retail POI files on the site that I'm sure have had changes due to economic conditions that I think we should keep update so as the database can reflect as accurate information as possible.

Like I said, I'm not bashing anyone here, I just think since this site is getting a LOT of attention lately that we should do our best to provide the most accurate data as we can.

Any way, I just thought I'd bring it up for conversation.

Thanks for listening!!

Clint

Clint,

I do think you have a point. There are some files I have used that have some places that have closed or moved. I know I will be updating my files.

Thanks for bringing this to everyone's attention

I completely understand your point as well.

There are probably many files that were created and the maintainer has moved on, forgotten us, or has had other wings take his/her attention from GPS'ing.

I just recently submitted updated to the Trader Joe's POI, and a few days later, the update wasn't made, and I inquired again. Just last night the file did get updated. I was going to wait another week or so and then I was going to see if I could submit the new file.

If there is a particular file your interested in, and it hasn't been updated in a while, maybe you could step up and become the maintainer.

Not one file in particular but rather in perusing through the myriad of files I noticed a LOT of the retails files had update dates of more than 2 years ago. It's probably like was noted, people have moved on to bigger and better things and just left the files for dead. This being said, I think we as a community should come together to get those files and update them.

We would all benefit from the updating and it would look better in the eyes of the new comers having files that were as accurate as we could make them. I just feel as long as we have the light shining upon us we should do our best to shine in it's glory.(BG)