[Osmf-talk] February OSMF Board Meeting

[Frederik Ramm]

Hi,

Andy Robinson (blackadder) wrote:
> 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. 

Up to here this sounds as if you wanted to say that the sexiness of the 
website determines the success of the project.

> After all, its creating the data set that matters, 

Now I don't get the twist. Are you saying that those with the slickest, 
simplest and sexiest site will automatically be the ones to create the 
best data set? Is there any evidence for that? (I'm thinking of 
Wikipedia - isn't their UI really hard considering they are dealing with 
the data type "written text"? Aren't there many slicker & sexier sites 
around? So where's Wikipedia rotting in the dust?)

 > 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.

Yes, according to its statues, even the OSMF will consider supporting 
the new project instead of, or in addition to, the old because OSMF is 
not limited to OSM.

I am a bit confused; does the above mean that OSM always has to strive 
to be the slickest, sexiest, coolest crowdsourced mapping project, 
always re-inventing itself, kicking out the old and attracting the 
young, following the latest trends and being on top whatever social 
networking fashion is current? Is keeping "OSM the brand name" alive 
more important than "OSM the project"? Should we rather kill ourselves 
before someone else does?

I plead guilty to having made a horde of elephants from a mouse. I'm 
starting to argue against a world view which is always a warning sign. 
I'll stop here. Just don't say I haven't warned you ;-)

Bye
Frederik