[OSM-dev] A bit of developer philosophy...

[Frederik Ramm]

Hi,

Richard Fairhurst wrote:
> A KML import option is an active invitation for the user to import a  
> Google-dominated file format, like Google WMS is an active invitation  
> to trace off Google Maps. "Not providing an active invitation" isn't  
> the same as bossing users around.

Granted but I draw the line where your desire not to provide an active 
invitation for some leads to a limited quality for others.

I clearly view the Google WMS as an active invitation to trace off 
Google Maps. (Which might even be ok outside the OpenStreetMap context, 
depending on the juristiction where it happens etc., so this alone would 
not be a reason to deny the software a right to exist but I agree that 
it should not be used together with OSM.)

However, the only thing JOSM could do to try and stop people using this 
would mean to make it harder for people to use any WMS running on the 
local machine - which is a legitimate use that many have, running their 
own UMN Mapserver with orthorectified photography served locally, for 
example. So I'd be aiming a metaphorical shotgun at the crowd, knowing 
it'll take down the Google WMS, among other casualties.

(And anyone could recompile JOSM without that shotgun anyway.)

Bye
Frederik