[OSM-dev] [OSM-talk] Map features discussion & voting

[Sebastian Spaeth]

[sorry for cross-posting]
Tom Chance wrote:
> Thanks to Alex for going through lots of the old proposed map features
...
> Unfortunately I think the process is massively failing right now
...
> How can we stimulate more discussion of proposed features [...]?

I hesitate to introduce too much formality here, but I also think the
process should be changed. I think after a vote start, people shouldn't
change the proposal anymore for one thing. Also voting needs to be more
easy and voting requests should be pushed to the user.

I wonder if one of the 2 proposals would work:

1) E-mail voting as Apache used to have it with patches. When a proposal
is mature enough for voting, a mail is send to talk/dev with the
proposal text, inviting to the election. People would then reply to that
mail with a
+1 or -1 in the message body (if need be the OSM useraccount could also
be included if it is different from the email address. This can easily
be calculated by some tool and then manually be added to the map
features page. THe advantage is that it basically pushes elections to
the people and makes it VERY easy to vote (little hassle).

2) A poll feature/survey in the wiki or other website. Similarly a mail
is sent to the mailing lists and people click on one of two links in
order to vote (and enter the OSM username).

Both have the advantage of making voting easy and having one definite
proposal text which is voted for/against. On the negative side, both
increase administrative work and make voting more formal. I would be
willing to help set up such a system if needed.

Spaetz