[Potlatch-dev] "Source" key and map_features.xml

[Richard Fairhurst]

Ed Loach wrote:
> So I don't see the source key as crucial. What might be an idea, if
> it isn't already done, is record what background is in use when the
> changes are saved by using a tag on the changeset rather than every
> object - this won't say whether the user has changed during the
> session (though I guess this could be tracked and used rather than
> just whatever is current, but more work).

Yes. It's a difficult one to judge, but I don't think putting a source 
textfield on every item is the right solution.

It's a whole extra concept for the newbie mapper (who is probably 
befuddled enough already), who should be able to get started just 
understanding "this is where you choose what it is" (dropdown), "this is 
where you type what it's called" (name), and "this is how you add a 
pub/phone box/whatever to the map" (drag-and-drop). For experienced 
mappers, meanwhile, it's a cumbersome solution; the most common source 
tagging is "set it to the current background", and you can do that much 
more speedily with the B key. There are doubtless more obvious ways we 
could implement that, but a whole unexplained textfield isn't one of them.

Ed's idea of an automatically-set changeset tag is potentially a useful 
one. Not to be called "source=", because having a background open 
doesn't mean you're actually copying from it (I usually have one open 
just for context, but do most of my mapping from GPS traces). Perhaps 
"background_open=". It shouldn't be too difficult to populate this with 
all the backgrounds used in the changeset.

On two particular points from Steve's message:

> In my view, the source key is crucial to every object. The editor
> should be doing everything it can to encourage people to fill it in.

One problematic trait of OSM (and I'm certainly not picking on you here 
Steve, many many people are a million times more guilty :) ) is people's 
belief that everything can be solved through code, and in particular, by 
editors insisting on/preventing certain things.

If only. It's an abdication of the community's responsibility to write 
some decent, enticing docs, which it has so far completely failed to do 
in six years. As we've seen with changeset comments, insisting on them 
doesn't mean you always get useful ones. Rather, it means those who'd 
add them anyway add them; those who wouldn't write nothing, or "...", or 
"Fixed Stuff", or "Fuck you".

The community needs to help the new mapper understand why, and when, 
source tags are important. Forcing newbies to fill in something they 
don't understand just doesn't work, sadly.

> Secondly, it's a usability thing. Since you need to populate the
> source key for every object you create, this change means the user has
> to switch to the "Misc" tab (scrolling across...)

Something I'm hoping to do in the medium term is give people the ability 
to choose from pre-defined tag preset files, just as you can for 
backgrounds and for stylesheets. Then if you want an advanced mapper's 
speedy toolkit with "source" instantly accessible, you can have it; if 
you want a million shades of access tags, you can have it; yet P2 can 
still provide the new mapper with a simple, comprehensible default.

cheers
Richard