[Tagging] Source tag - deprecated for use on objects?

[Chris Hill]

On 02/01/13 12:50, dies38061 at mypacks.net wrote:
> I have been told ( on the talk-US email list ) that use of {{key|source}} on objects has been deprecated for years and that such information is only of historical interest and its use should be restricted to changesets.  This is not reflected in anything I can find on the wiki, and I've done an incomplete search of the subject fields on this forum to see if this has been discussed.  Could you please clarify this for me?  Should I a) not be adding {{key|source}} to objects and b) should I be adding content in such a way that a single source tag on the changeset is valid for all content in that changeset (this has major implications for my editing behavior).  Thanks. --ceyockey
>

Whoever told you that is wrong, not that that is unusual on mailing 
lists. You have chosen to use the tagging mailing list which is a place 
where some of the wackiest ideas are discussed, argued over and then 
largely ignored - which is great because it keeps that junk off the main 
lists.

Firstly, you can use any tag for any purpose on OSM, so adding a 
source=* tag to an object is _always_ acceptable.

Secondly, any changeset can have multiple sources so adding the source 
tag to a changeset is not flexible enough.

Thirdly, if the source tag is on a changeset, in order to find the 
source of an object you have to look up the changeset(s) that affected 
the object to determine its source. Who would bother?

Source tags are useful, sometimes on changesets, sometimes on objects, 
but if you do change an object using a new source, please reflect that 
by changing the source tag. The history of the object will show where 
that changed if anyone is interested.

I use source tags on objects, very, very rarely on changesets and I 
don't expect to change that practice as things stand now.

-- 
Cheers, Chris
user: chillly