[OSM-dev] Data source for robot

[Richard Weait]

On Tue, Oct 12, 2010 at 1:18 PM, Peter Budny <peterb at gatech.edu> wrote:
> Andy Allan <gravitystorm at gmail.com> writes:
>
>> On Tue, Oct 12, 2010 at 5:25 PM, Peter Budny <peterb at gatech.edu> wrote:
>>
>>> Writing, testing, and evaluating a bot is within the scope of a class
>>> project for Emerging Database Technologies.  Working on osm2pgsql is
>>> not.
>>
>> So? If you were running a class project on "Rearranging geospatial
>> data into the shape of flowers", is that supposed to convince me that
>> it's a good idea? I really don't care what's in scope of your class
>> and what's not. What you are proposing is a bad idea.
>
> Well, I'm already committed to the project.  If the general tone is that
> automated edits are not welcome, I'll happily do edits on a local
> database and throw them away later, leaving OSM in exactly the same
> incomplete state it's in now.

We're all playing the the same OSM sandbox here.  Fortunately we can
each have our private sandboxes as well as all the tools are Free and
Open.

> I'd much rather my work be put to some use.

I'd much rather you join and participate in the community on a
continuing basis by learning and sharing.  That may not be cards now,
as you have a deadline and a lot to do for your project.  That's cool.
 Having your own private database is the quick way for you to proceed.

Were you to build your 'bot make your changes, graduate and never
touch OpenStreetMap again, well that would look like you were treating
OSM as a litterbox rather than a sandbox.  You would be leaving the
community behind you wondering where all the new routes came from,
whether they were good or bad.  Any unexpected lump in a sandbox is
examined with initial suspicion.  'Bots make lumps everywhere.