[OSM-newbies] Data Source

[ael]

On Wed, Jun 15, 2011 at 01:27:49PM +0100, SomeoneElse wrote:
> On 15/06/2011 11:57, Dave F. wrote:
> >On 13/06/2011 19:13, Renaud MICHEL wrote:
> >>Of course it could be used to do so.
> >>Without it, if there is strong suspicion that a user copied unauthorized
> >>data, then all that user contributions will be deleted.
> >
> 
> The original request was from a user of OSM data - as I understand
> it they're trying to see how the map involves and what sources are
> used to do that (GPS traces, aerial imagery such as Bing,
> out-of-copyright maps, etc.).
> 
> Personally, I'd encourage all mappers (newbies or otherwise) to use
> "source" fields (e.g. "source=Bing", "source:name=survey") more than
> they are currently used at the moment, because it helps future
> mappers understand where previous data came from and how best to
> merge their new data with it.
> 
> I wouldn't assume that, simply because something has been added
> without a source tag it's necessarily due to a user uploading data
> that they don't have a right to.  As Bernard Ingham said, it's more
> likely to be cock-up than conspiracy.

Well, nearly all my contributions have no source tag. My assumption
when I joined was that all mapping was assumed to be from some form 
of personal survey, usually gps, unless indicated otherwise. When I noticed the
source tag, I assumed that its primary use was to acknowledge some
3rd party, but legal, source. It seemed silly and redundant to
add an extra tag for gps survey which I took to be the default.

Surely I am not the only one who interpreted things this way?
So far as I recall, when I looked at other people's contributions
in my area, I seldom saw a source tag. That reinforced my assumption.

ael