[Tagging] Deprecation reasons - RFC

[Florian LAINEZ]

Hi, thanks for your replies.

For context, the deprecation process has existed for at least 12 years now.
I created a dataviz so we can better understand the evolution of the use of
some deprecated tags: https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/8488964

*The evolution of the "wood <https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:wood>"
key is a good example of a typical deprecation: marked as deprecated on the
wiki on june 2014, the use of leaf_type
<https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:leaf_type>=* and/or leaf_cycle
<https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:leaf_cycle>=* has been recommended
ever since and its use has been decreasing
<https://taginfo.openstreetmap.org/keys/wood#chronology>. Also some other
tags marked as deprecated continue to grow over time: there is a wild
variety of situations.*
Seeing that, I think we all agree that deprecation is a long-time existing
feature, and that deprecation has a real impact over tag use by the
community. Therefore my proposal aims to better define the reasons behind
this feature as clear documentation to support the community making good
decisions. Changing the definition of deprecation is not part of the
proposal at all.

That said, let me reply to other comments:

I am also confused why "replace the current reasons listed in the table
> with a more consistent list" is done as a proposal.
>
If more consistency/accuracy can be achieved just edit this overtemplated
> monster
>
According to you, how else should it be done? By editing directly the wiki?
I feel uncomfortable not to agree with you guys before doing such an
important and controversial edit. I think this proposal is important enough
to be discussed and approved first.

there are also other problems, like some data item plans for singular
> reason of deprecation - while typically there are multiple
>
That could be done
<https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Help:Statements#Multiple_values>, no
problem. I added it to the proposal.

BTW, "never implemented by editors / Q/A tools / renders / routing engines
> / tools" is not a valid reason for deprecation by itself.
>
You're right. I forgot to remove it from the "recommended reasons", it's
now done.

Also,
> https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Proposed_features/clarify_deprecation_reasons#Examples
> recommends changing some specific explanation by generic vague ones.
>
Indeed. Being specific was not the goal of the proposal. I think that in
order to fix the "messy, inconsistent and misleading" list, a drawback
would be that sometimes a reason becomes more generic than before for the
sake of standardization. An alternative could be to create a complementary
free text entry for more details, which I also like. What would be your
preference?

more strange are the numeric codes listed for each deprecation reason - for
> what purpose could that possibly be useful or wanted?
>
I agree, I don't like them either. Should we get rid of them? To be honest,
I only used them because they were already existing in the table
https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Deprecated_features#Deprecated_features
but in the end, it's just an additional column. Advice welcome.

Le mer. 26 janv. 2022 à 00:40, Greg Troxel <gdt at lexort.com> a écrit :

>
> Mateusz Konieczny via Tagging <tagging at openstreetmap.org> writes:
>
> > What is the difference between "it is not recommended to use this tag
> any more" and
> > "this tag is deprecated"? I consider this as having the same meaning and
> use the second
> > one as it is easier to type.
> >
> > ("this is an old-fashioned tag" applies also to widely used tags that
> should continue to be
> > used so it is quite different)
> >
> > Also, which parts of OSM tagging exist as a formal concept?
>
> The important distinction -- maybe not in that wording -- is if people
> think it's reasonable to put warnings in editors for using it and
> encourage especially people who are nonlocal and don't understand to
> delete it.  Then deprecation becomes automated vandalism.
> _______________________________________________
> Tagging mailing list
> Tagging at openstreetmap.org
> https://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/tagging
>


-- 

*Florian Lainez*
@overflorian <http://twitter.com/overflorian>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.openstreetmap.org/pipermail/tagging/attachments/20220126/b5c92dd0/attachment-0001.htm>