[Talk-us] Fwd: Re: Role of the Wiki

[Frederik Ramm]

Hi,

On 08.12.2012 20:32, Charlotte Wolter wrote:
>          OSM needs to add a lot more people, if it is to meet its goal
> of making a feature-rich accurate map of the world. But the idea that a
> newer member should be willing to search through 10 to 12 information
> sources to find out how to map works completely counter to that goal.

There are a number of good one-stop sources that will at least get you 
started.

You won't be able to edit a complex public transport relation by just 
reading the beginner's guide but then again that's not necesssary. OSM 
has worked amazingly well and managed to attract a huge community in a 
number of countries despite all the flaws you mention, and at least from 
where I stand the "demise" of which you speak doesn't immediately threaten.

>          We need to create a Wiki that everyone can understand, use and
> reply on. I propose that we create a definitive wki, overseen by a
> working group.

You can create a new one or fix the existing one. "switch2osm" was one 
effort to take a thematic subset of information and present it in a 
nicer form outside of the wiki, and you could do something like that for 
tagging too. The manpower doesn't however just magically materialize by 
creating a working group - people will have to invest serious time. 
Plus, you have to make sure you don't kill off the flexibility that has 
made OSM the success it is - giving newbies the idea that there's a 
fixed feature catalogue would be wrong.

The idea that there could be a true answer/rule for every mapping 
question is also quite simplistic by the way; I observe differnt mapping 
styles even in different cities of a relatively small and homogenous 
country like Germany, and when mapping I try to respect the local rules 
as far as I can discern them. No document can be authoritative enough to 
absolve you from the responsibility to look at what your peers are doing.

Never underestimate the social aspect of OSM. OSM is not between you, 
your editing software, and your authoritative tagging guide; it's 
between you and the other mappers in your area.

Bye
Frederik

-- 
Frederik Ramm  ##  eMail frederik at remote.org  ##  N49°00'09" E008°23'33"