<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><BR><DIV><DIV>On 1 Jul 2007, at 16:59, Ray Booysen wrote:</DIV><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><DIV><DIV>We seem to vote or converse on all other issues regarding OSM, so why is this any different?</DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE><BR></DIV><DIV>Can you point to one of those that involves a substantial amount of work? For example, there is a lot of debate over what goes in map features and then something simple is decided like 'horse=yes is approved'. On the other hand, debate about things like data models and postgres drags on for years and nothing happens.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>You need not be cynical about OSM because there are tiny pixel gifs on the page as a trial. Before the rails port there were banner ads which were much worse and there are direct partner links on the front page right now. The trial is of course highlighting some good reasons to remove them and some new ways forward. I'd be more cynical about the hysterical responses about deleting data and the evilness, and I don't think we should take them down because of that. If they degrade the project, don't make any money or someone comes up with vastly better ways forward then of course they'll get dropped.</DIV><BR><DIV> <SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><DIV>have fun,</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>SteveC | steve@asklater.com | <A href="http://www.asklater.com/steve/">http://www.asklater.com/steve/</A></DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN> </DIV><BR></BODY></HTML>