[OSM-dev] Server-side data validation

[Roland Olbricht]

Hi Pawel,

> Hi Peter,
> 
> Thanks for the response.
> 
> So for now I'm trying to discuss this at a more abstract level -
> that the contract would be "we can't have X in the database" but how it
> is implemented (at changeset close maybe?) - I cannot say (yet) as I am
> no expert in OSM. For now more important is whether this kind of
> thinking even makes sense for you.

I would not make much sense. There are a lot of ideas what could be done on 
the API, please see
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/API_v0.7

The more import thing is that OpenStreetMap is about a community, not about 
data. Business logic in the API will sooner or later include controversial 
topics and this will end with losing valuable contributers.

For example: if you want the API to reject nodes at the same location, you may 
demotivate indoor mappers who model structural identical building levels with 
different shops per level.

Or even simpler: every change in the API breaks temporarily or permanently 
tools. And the mapper who finds that his or her tool doesn't work any more is 
lost forever.

On the other hand, duplicate or wrong data is not really a problem. There are 
a lot of applications (renderers, routers etc.) that do succesfully manage the 
existing data.

Cheers,

Roland
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