[Talk-us] Statistics of board candidate edits

[Randal Hale]

Of Course! The entire priest example could fix many problems...but that 
is a longer discussion over drinks.

The US is a huge place and OSM is still this "thing" people hear about 
and don't understand. I've taught two (by tomorrow) classes to GIS 
people on what OSM is and what it isn't. It's a slow process educating 
the populace this wonderful thing exists.

Editing is important to be part of the community - but the OSM US board 
operates both in and out or that community (if that makes sense). They 
announce editathons and attempt to engage support for OSM. As several 
have said (and I won't go back and look for the people to match with the 
quotes):

  * Engagement with the US Community. It would be wonderful if OSM US
    board members took the lead and held a mapping party in their
    community. It's not necessary - maybe they help pave the way for a
    more active mapper to hold an event.Colleges have a little clue this
    exists. Have a prepared presentation where someone can go explain
    OSM in a friendly non scary manner for the people who have never
    edited.
  * Women and Minorities. We are predominately Caucasian and male. That
    is not good. My only success in 300 kids taught at a High School is
    one young lady who periodically maps for HOT.
  * One candidate had mentioned getting a layer for the US to render our
    wonderfully complicated highway system. I still can't explain what a
    trunk road is...or isn't.
  * Holding the US conference - Months of paperwork with not a feature
    edited to get that going.
  * 501c3 status - I helped (I'm a terrible treasurer) and that was so
    complicated we had to bring in an accountant and that months of
    discovery on lost paypal accounts and things. I feel a personal
    sense of failure that still hasn't happened
  * There was an announcement from the board of scholarships to go to
    the South American OSM conference (?) - once again - no edits but
    paperwork type of things that push community engagement.

So there are tons of things that need done that never involve one single 
edit. It would help if they did - but being an anything on the board 
never involves touching the map.

I understand bringing up the editing history of candidates. It's another 
tool to measure engagement - but for this (IMO) it doesn't mean much at 
all. Hopefully by the time they leave the board they are editing and 
happy and doing good things. What is the current mapping engagement of 
the DWG?..or the OSMF? The HOT Board?  It doesn't matter for that position.

Our job is to map - there's will be the terrible things no one wants to 
do like paperwork and talk to people. Wear a suit. Look sane if they are 
ever speaking to an influential group of people on OSM.

Anyway - that was too long of an answer for a Sunday Morning. Forgive me.

Randy




On 10/05/2014 06:17 AM, Martin Koppenhoefer wrote:
>
>
>
>> Il giorno 03/ott/2014, alle ore 21:23, Randal Hale <rjhale at northrivergeographic.com> ha scritto:
>>
>> It has nothing to do with being on the OSM US Board. I was on it for two years......we discussed editing, ....Neither of which had any bearing on that candidates experience with editing.
>
> if you are discussing editing it will surely help in the discussion  to have edited yourself ;-)
>
> would you ask a catholic priest about raising kids? You'd surely get an answer, but it will remain highly theoretical;-)
>
> cheers
> Martin

-- 
-----------------
Randal Hale
North River Geographic Systems, Inc
http://www.northrivergeographic.com
423.653.3611 rjhale at northrivergeographic.com
twitter:rjhale     http://about.me/rjhale
http://www.northrivergeographic.com/spatial-connect

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