[Tagging] is the wiki descriptive or prescriptive?

[Colin Smale]

> On 11/17/2021 10:26 AM Christoph Hormann <osm at imagico.de> wrote:
> 
>  
> On Wednesday 17 November 2021, Minh Nguyen wrote:
> > > The way you formulate your question: "Is the wiki descriptive or
> > > prescriptive?" is already part of the problem.  My answer to that
> > > question would be:  The wiki is neither because there is no
> > > consensus on what it *should* be.
> >
> > I'd contend that it's an unholy mix of both. What is OSM if not
> > inconsistent?
> 
> The reason why OSM as a geodatabase works despite all the 
> inconsistencies in practical mapping is because we share the common 
> goal and paradigm of verifiability and local knowledge.  This is what 
> holds the project together across language and culture boundaries.

It's not about local knowledge, it's about *independent* verifiability. The memory, perception or opinion of a local mapper/resident may conflict with more definitive sources (e.g. Governments) and all the (un)organised armchair mapping that goes on should not be devalued in such a sweeping statement. There's only one world out there, but there's a zillion ways of modelling it in OSM.