[OSM-dev] Augmented Diffs - Compatibility?

[Roland Olbricht]

> 1. Tagging
> 
> Why did you not use solely the existing XML tags <create>, <modify> and
> <delete>?

Because they don't properly describe what's happening. The core idea of the 
augmented diffs is to include some unchanged but related elements. This 
doesn't happen in diffs. Thus, the new category <keep> is used. On the other 
hand, <modify> doesn't apply to augmented diffs, because it brings the new 
version only. Thus, the augmented diffs use a pair of <delete>/<insert> for 
each modified element, with <delete> containing the old version.

Of course you can argue that either <delete> should also be renamed or 
<insert> should be called <create>. This was accidental.

Altogether, please note: the augmented diffs aren't an extension of the normal 
diffs and even less a replacement for normal diff. They are two distinct diff 
formats, for distinct purposes.
 
> 2. Sequence
> 
> A lot of software depends on getting _sorted_ input data, usually ascending
> by object type, then by ID. Why did you break this order?

The order by type is maintained. And all the tools I've seen so far don't need 
the second order criterion by id.

Cheers,

Roland
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