On Friday 22 June 2018, Kevin Kenny wrote: > [...] > > Bryan's choices may seem arbitrary, but this follows a general tenet > of open-source development: "he who does the work makes the rules."
Contrary to what some might want to believe OSM is not a software development project. And what you are communicating here, that mappers should adjust their mapping style for the convenience of data consumers, is highly problematic. I know this is not a rare viewpoint, even among mappers submitting yourself to the (perceived) needs of data consumers (something i called "preemptive mapping for the renderer" some time ago) is widespread. But OpenStreetMap is a mapper centric project. Developers around it are to serve the mappers, not the other way round. Fortunately on a global level interests of mappers and interests of data users usually go hand in hand. But if in specific cases they don't the interests of mappers have to overrule those of data users and developers - otherwise we can close down shop right away and reopen as Google Mapmaker 2.0. Or in other words: "those who do the work make the rules" does apply, but in OSM those who do the work are - by a very large margin - the mappers. And developers should use the influence they inevitably have to support the mappers in making competent and viable decisions - in their interest, not in that of the data users. -- Christoph Hormann http://www.imagico.de/ _______________________________________________ Tagging mailing list Tagging@openstreetmap.org https://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/tagging
