[OSM-newbies] Locking tags is it possible?

[john whelan]

So I think what we are saying is that I'd have to either have an
OpenStreetMap map that others couldn't edit or find another format.  Ottawa
happens to be bilingual, currently we have an OpenData group building shiny
mini applications over Google. Google doesn't do French road names, but two
OpenStreetMap servers one using English and the other French could.  That's
a fairly big lever here.

Technically we can import the entire road network from CANVEC and we can
import a lot of other city data as well.  This is different to other parts
of the world where the data isn't available.  If we can get clean consistent
tags then we can hold a lot of data in OpenStreetMap that could be processed
by programs rather than the current method of the OpenData crowd grabbing
data from other places and displaying it over Google maps.

If roads were tagged with speed limit then an application could compare a
GPS trace to the listed speed limits so you could get a feeling of
confidence your teenager hadn't been tearing around at high speed when they
borrowed the car.  This would be the killer app if it could be done.  It has
the potential to lower the accident rate but not if a teenager can raise the
speed limit tag.

The current OpenStreetMap of Ottawa is unsuitable for the purpose, the tags
are not consistent, the data is of uneven quality to say the least and there
are issues with displaying POIs.

I'd like to have a reason to recommend the city put up a couple of
OpenStreetMap servers to serve GIS applications but based on what I'm seeing
its probably better to go Google Map applications because I can currently
present no killer application for an OpenStreetMap format server.  Pity when
you're at the pivot point, OpenStreetMap would seem to be a hobby map not
one to run GIS type applications.

Cheerio John

On 29 April 2010 14:04, Richard Weait <richard at weait.com> wrote:

> On Thu, Apr 29, 2010 at 1:06 PM, john whelan <jwhelan0112 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > I want to set up an OSM server for a city but retain control over the
> values
> > in the tags.  So that means stopping people deleting or editing certain
> > POIs.  The application is tagging roads with the speed limits and aed
> > defibrillators POIs.
> >
> > Whilst I could just not allow all edits I would like to allow the
> addition
> > of POIs and the editing of these.
>
> To see earlier discussions on similar topics, have a search for
> "immutable tags" or similar.  I think the discussion was on talk, or
> talk-us.
>
> Having tags, or subsets of data in OSM that are not available to all
> for editing has been suggested before.  The potential advantages
> ("official" data, reduced accidental errors) are recognized as are the
> drawbacks (incorrect "official" data, super-user vetting and
> certification, division of community).  Previous discussions on this
> topic have not lead to support for immutable tags, or controlled data
> sets.
>
> Such protected data sets in OSM are not required, based on your
> description above.  You could use OSM as a base map, but not render
> data that does not interest your client.  Render instead, their
> official copy of their magical data, and display it atop the OSM
> community data.  Of course you'll have to do this in a way that meets
> the obligations of the licenses ccbysa, and in future ODbL.
>
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