Hi, long before I learnt that "Code of Conduct" is, for many people in the tech community, a very narrowly defined term that essentially has to do with not harassing other people, I drew up a document that I called a "Code of Conduct for Mappers", and discussed that with some people in Data Working Group.
It ended up being shelved because we felt that even if writing the document was triggered by our interactions with mappers, and even though we agreed that the rules were good, it was not within our remit as DWG to make wide-ranging rules about how mappers should behave. I always wanted to post it to the mailing list for discussion but never got round to do it. As you will see, this does have some overlap with the CoC discussed here, but it is much more specific to the actual core of OSM, the mapping work. So, to re-use Jo's term, this would be a "subclass" of "Don't be an asshole" for mapping. It's a bit awkward posting it here because it isn't much to do with diversity at all, but since this list where CoC discusssion currently happens, here you go. Bye Frederik =OpenStreetMap Code of Conduct= == Background == OpenStreetMap has a tradition of making as little rules as possible. However, with its growing user base and the many diverse personalities it attracts, the project very occasionally attracts individuals who have difficulties in interacting with others in a civil manner. OpenStreetMap gives its contributors a lot of room with regards to what they map and how they do it; you can be shy, or nerdy, or have peculiar hobbies or funny ways to express yourself, there is always a place in OpenStreetMap for you. Undeniably, OpenStreetMap has a large social aspect. It is not just a collection of geodata records in some database; it is a teamwork effort by hundreds of thousands of people around the globe. OSM is a hobby for every one of us, and we want mappers to have fun when they contribute to the project. Therefore, the project must ask of its members a modicum of respect and civility in dealing with their peers, or else run a risk of the community spirit deteriorating and the project suffering as a consequence of bad behaviour of a few individuals. In order to make the existing, but often unwritten rules more accessible and transparent to all, the Data Working Group (which, among other things, deals with conflicts between mappers) has written down the following rules that govern good behaviour in OpenStreetMap. == Rules == === What you contribute === There are some expectations about the data you contribute. These are not set in stone, but as a general rule of thumb we like contributions to be * (to the best of your knowledge) truthful; * legal; * verifiable; * of (at least potential) relevance for others. Truthful - means that you cannot contribute something you have invented. Legal - means that you don't copy copyrighted data without permission. Verifiable - means that others can theoretically go there and see for themselves if your data is correct. Relevant - means that you have to use tags that make clear what your data is supposed to mean, and that such meaning is somehow useful in the geodata context. When in doubt, also consider the "on the ground rule": We map the world as it presents itself to someone who stands at the place being mapped. If for example that person sees a sign with a certain name on it, then that name will be in OpenStreetMap. === How you contribute === When you contribute data, we expect you to do so manually using an editor software that can reasonably be expected to work without disrupting the operation of OpenStreetMap. You can never go wrong with one of the established editors, and if you write your own editing software we expect you to test it properly. If you want to make a contribution that does not result from manual work, but instead you want to import data from another source or make an automated change that affects lots of objects, then additional rules will apply; these are not covered in this document. When you upload your contributions, editors will give you the opportunity to specify a "changeset comment" that briefly describes your work in words. Using this feature improves the value of your contribution and is highly recommended. === How you deal with existing data === As a general rule, you do not have to ask permission before modifying existing data. If you believe that you can improve something, then do it. However, keep in mind that for many things there's more than one way to map it correctly, and if your "improvement" does not stem from a new survey or additional data, but instead consists just of a change in mapping style, you should only proceed if you know that you have the community behind you. Do not engage in large-scale "cleanups" without securing the agreement of the relevant community, or talking to the people whose work you aim to "clean". Do not delete data unless you know (or have very strong reason to believe) that it is incorrect. Never delete correct data just because it "clutters the map" or so; if this becomes a real problem, seek discussion and consensus before you act. Do not engage in edit wars. If something you did is changed by someone else, do not simply change it back without discussing the issue first - either with the person who made the change, or with the larger community. OpenStreetMap has very little rules on tagging, and it is not ok for individuals to fill that niche, establish their personal rules, and modify everyone else's data to fit. There are tagging standards but they evolve instead of being pushed through by a single individual. OpenStreetMap values local knowledge highly. You are certainly allowed to make edits to the map in places where you've never been personally, but do not expect that you can overrule the mappers local to an area from afar. On the other hand, if you are local to an area, this doesn't mean you can reject any edit from outsiders - the area doesn't belong to you exclusively. Revert the work of others only if there's a clear and obvious mistake for which reverting is the best remedy. If you feel you cannot discuss this with the other mapper responsible, at least discuss it with others in OpenStreetMap. === How you interact with your peers === In all your communication with other mappers, always remember that (with the exception of outright vandalism) we're all working on the same thing together. We're on the same side. Occasionally you will be contacted by other mappers about edits you have made. Such encounters can range from praise, to questions, to outright critique. You might have done something wrong, or stepped on someone's toes with something, or it might be due to a misunderstanding. If you receive messages inquiring about your mapping practice, do not ignore them, and do not respond with boilerplate messages; if the other mapper has taken the time to look at your edit and ask you a question, they deserve an answer. Occasionally you will be tempted to initiate communication with someone who seems to have made a mistake, someone who made a change that you don't like or that you believe to be incorrect. In talking to others, always assume good intentions; with the exception of outright vandalism, everyone wants to improve the map with what they're doing. No matter how clever you are, how long you are with OpenStreetMap, or how many hundreds of thousands of edits you have - nothing makes you infallible. Nothing makes you the boss; nothing makes your interpretation of the established tagging scheme automatically more correct than someone else's. Do not mock, intimidate, or threaten other mappers. If you have a conflict with another mapper that you cannot solve amongst yourselves, involve other project members - via the local pub meet, the regional mailing list, or by messaging them directly. Get the community to mediate. In public discussions, don't be a troll. If you find yourself involved in a lot of conflicts, then stop for a moment and think - is it possible that your behavior is a part of the problem, and can you fix it? If it appears to you that everyone else is driving on the wrong side of the road... maybe *you* are? OpenStreetMap values community cohesion over data quality. In the hypothetical event that there is a conflict between you and a larger number of other community members about a particular issue in mapping, then even if your solution is better on some objective scale, OpenStreetMap will choose the solution favoured by the community at large. You can try to educate them, but you cannot bulldoze over them, even if you have the better solution. Being right doesn't help if you cannot make the world understand that you are right. == Breaking the Rules == Mappers are just humans after all, and they will break these rules. Do it once or twice and it might not even get noticed. Do it more frequently and you might be the topic of a discussion in a forum or mailing list, and you might find that you're receiving more messages from community members who would like to hear an explanation. Breaking these rules might also lead to the involvement of the OSM Foundation's Data Working Group. They might request that you stop doing something, or that you explain yourself about something, and they might apply a short-term block on your account that keeps you from editing until you comply. They might also, depending on the case at hand, revert some or all of your edits, but after the issue is settled you can continue to contribute like everyone else. If you, however, break these rules regularly, then the Data Working Group might have your account banned indefinitely. -- Frederik Ramm ## eMail frede...@remote.org ## N49°00'09" E008°23'33" _______________________________________________ diversity-talk mailing list diversity-talk@openstreetmap.org https://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/diversity-talk
