[OSM-dev] created_by considered harmfull

[Raphael Studer]

> > What got is a converter, if i'm the only one using it?
>
> If you write a portable mapping app that requires using your
> converter which you offer on one of your servers (or find someone
> else who has spare server capacity), then everyone using your app
> will also use that converter.

I wouldn't write an app, requires a special converter :)
I would either write an app and include the converter into the main
api or don't write anything at all.

> > I mean, as long as its a feature needed by a lot of people (not at the
> > moment, but in the near future) why not integrate it?
>
> Anything that runs on the central server makes the server consume
> more resources, makes it slower, introduces more bugs, and makes it
> harder to maintain. So we should not ask "why not", but "why" - only
> if there is a technical reason why a certain piece of code needs to
> be run on the server instead of externally, then it should be allowed
> to run on the server.
>
> If I wanted OSM data in JSON format, the last thing I would do is try
> to add a server module which will be outside of my control once it is
> installed and where every little bug I introduce runs the risk of
> making the whole server unstable.

My motivation creating a JSON output would not be, having data in the
JSON format. It would be, solving the bandwith problems of mobile
devices.
As long as I don't have any mobile mapping device, I don't think about
all the "server-out-of-my-control" and "unstable-server" problems.
I know this is a very optimistic opinion.

Regards
Raphael