Tomas Straupis — Mapping: balance of purpose and joy

This presentation explores the delicate balance between mapping for a specific practical purpose and mapping for the pure joy of the hobby. While utility drives critical data collection, mapping without considering actual application can lead to overcomplicated data and heavy maintenance burdens. The talk highlights common pitfalls, such as gathering data for hypothetical apps that will never be built , while offering practical advice on how to map mindfully. Ultimately, it advocates for a thoughtful approach where mappers balance real-world usage with fun, ensuring they enrich the map ecosystem without breaking it. Tomas Straupis: Head of GIS department at iTree. 20 years of experience in IT: analysis, development, testing, processes, quality management. Specialising in using open source technologies, replacing legacy commercial software with open GIS. Recorded at the State of the Map Baltics 2026 / Baltic GIT Conference 2026 in Riga.