[Osmf-talk] February OSMF Board Meeting

[Andy Robinson (blackadder)]

Frederik Ramm wrote:
>Sent: 26 February 2010 11:24 AM
>To: Gervase Markham
>Cc: osmf-talk at openstreetmap.org
>Subject: Re: [Osmf-talk] February OSMF Board Meeting
>
snip

>I have a bad feeling about it that's all. But then maybe any project
>accrues more committees, more working groups, more hierarchy, and more
>barriers for contributors as it gets older. Everyone has to grow up -
>and everyone has to die. Another, younger project will take over.

That's a real risk. If we ignore the needs of the wider community, not just
our own existing contributors, then we will be left for dust tomorrow as
soon as a slicker, simpler, sexier, cooler or whatever site/project comes
along. And to be honest if it had an import tab so that I could contribute
my existing data I'd be reading the sign-up terms and thinking about it
carefully. After all, its creating the data set that matters, if someone
else does that better and I like the ethos of it (eg has the right type of
community and a licence I'm comfortable with) then why would I not consider
it, others for sure would be doing so. OSM is a great community but it's
still also a means to an end.

Cheers

Andy