[josm-dev] Fwd: Filter Google from Imagery?

Anthony osm at inbox.org
Sat Jan 29 13:42:45 GMT 2011


On Fri, Jan 28, 2011 at 1:23 PM, Richard Welty <rwelty at averillpark.net> wrote:
> On 1/28/11 12:03 PM, Anthony wrote:
>>
>> Although, frankly, I've always thought the OSMF ban was more of a
>> don't-ask-don't-tell one.  And I guess now that my contributions are
>> going to be deleted anyway I can come clean.  I've been tracing from
>> Google maps for pretty much the entire time I've been contributing,
>> and it hasn't hurt anyone.
>>
> consider this scenario:
>
> Google decides that open mapquest based on osm contributors
> tracing from Google imagery is an issue.
>
> they decided to sue in the US, and name the OSMF US organization
> (of which i am a board member) as a party to the suit (it's normal
> practice to name lots of people/organizations to such suits.
>
> OSMF US hasn't purchased insurance to cover directors (maybe we
> should, i'm going to get it on the agenda for the next board meeting).
>
> as a result of the suit, as a director of a named party, i lose my house.
>
> now has that hurt anyone?
>
> something to think about.

Something for *you* to think about maybe, if you think it's something
possible.  Personally I think it's absurd.

I said it hasn't hurt anyone.  I never said there isn't an impossible
scenario that anyone can imagine where someone might get hurt.  If we
want to invent imaginary scenarios, I'm sure I can invent one where my
*not* using Google imagery leads to someone getting hurt or dying.

On Fri, Jan 28, 2011 at 1:26 PM, Frederik Ramm <frederik at remote.org> wrote:
> Then let's set up a second build process, somewhere outside of
> openstreetmap.{de|org}, where someone who is interested in a non-OSM version
> of JOSM can build releases to his heart's content and distribute them.
> Releases that do not talk to the OSM server preferably, and releases that
> *if* they talk to the OSM server, clearly identify themselves. OSMF could
> then decide to block those releases from accessing the API at any time if
> they so desire.

It sounds to me like Dirk has said he wants JOSM to be a tool which
works with any server that speaks the API, not just openstreetmap.org.
 This makes sense, since the software allows people to change the API.

So, I'd say that any software specific to openstreetmap.org should be
the special build.  If you want to make a compile-time option "speak
only to openstreetmap.org", that sounds like a better (and, much
simpler to implement) solution compared to building software which is
specific to OSMF and then hacking on support for other servers in a
special build.

> In fact I would be very happy if someone from outside OSM - one of the
> much-talked-about non-OSM users of JOSM - would set up this build process.
> I'll happily help them prepare the patches that get rid of tile
> blacklisting.

At this point the patch is simple.  Just don't upgrade to the new
version with your change.  But as time goes on it's just going to get
more and more difficult.

In any case, whether the crippled version of JOSM is the default or
the special build, it would be best implemented as a build-time or
user-hidden run-time option, than as a separate codebase.

In C syntax, "#define CRIPPLE_TO_ONLY_WORK_WITH_OSMF 0/1".

I'm really not interested in wasting my time learning how to build
JOSM, but if it comes to that I guess I could do so.



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