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<p>I wonder how many users actually need a planet-wide planet file. Surely there are loads of cases where a regional extract would suffice for the use case in hand. How about encouraging people to consider using a regional download?</p>
<p>Something else, only slightly off-topic: I have often had ideas in my head about looking at the dynamics of particular bits of data - i.e. OSM histories. Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't remember ever seeing regional full history files. I think there is a download available for the entire planet with full history, but that is going to be a monster and a real challenge to keep up-to-date. But it's the only way to get historical data, except through the API. If I want to trace for example the history of changes to county boundaries in the UK, or the alignment of motorways, that will be millions of API calls to get the full history of every node, way and relation involved. If it has to be, then it has to be.</p>
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