[Tagging] OSM is a right mess (was: Craigslist OpenStreetMap Rendering Issue)

[David Fisher]

On 04/06/15 00:48, pmailkeey . wrote:
> A value of residential here  seems to need a key to identify whether it
> relates to a building or landuse. However, you suggest
> building=residential as possibly being redundant. In fact, I'd turn this
> on its head and make landuse=residential (with the exception of moles)
> redundant. The only residential landuse is directly under a building but
> by using landuse=residential, such areas cover gardens and highways -
> which are clearly not residences.

The tag is "landuse = residenTIAL", not "landuse = residenCE".  In
other words, as Lester Caine says, it demarcates a residential zone,
i.e. an area containing (mostly) homes plus associated infrastructure
such as parks, gardens etc, as opposed to an area of shops, offices,
industry, farmland, or whatever else.

I agree with some of your frustrations about the project, but I think
you sometimes jump to negative conclusions too quickly.
"landuse=residential" is clearly useful, and equally I don't see that
"directions=xx" is any improvement on "oneway=xx".  Pick your battles!
 (e.g. "amenity" I agree is a right mess.)

Cheers,

David (user Pgd81).