[Talk-GB] Adding a further 250, 000 UK roads quickly using a Bot?

[Ed Avis]

I think automatically importing the OS data for areas where OSM currently has
little to no coverage - or coverage merely traced from Yahoo imagery - is
a great idea.  Many people don't want bots to trample on their 'patch' which they
have carefully surveyed, which is fine.  But there is still a huge part of the
country which is very under-mapped.  Let's get it complete as soon as possible
using the best data we have.  (It is my opinion that the OS data is often of
higher quality than a typical OSM ground survey, although of course multiple
surveys by different people combined with the use of Bing imagery will give the
best possible map.)

I also think that what is good for ITO is good for the map in general - if there
is a need to have a complete map for some government contract or whatever, then
that is a need that exists in the real world.

Lastly, I don't believe that adding data from external sources discourages
contributors.  Quite the opposite.  It is a blank canvas that puts people off.
The way to bring in contributors is to show a map with a few missing details that
are so tempting to fix 'just one thing'...

-- 
Ed Avis <eda at waniasset.com>