[OSM-talk] Summary of the irc meeting.

Nick Hill nick at nickhill.co.uk
Fri Apr 7 18:01:14 BST 2006


Tom Carden wrote:

> Where would forking the project get anyone?  I can see how US members
> might want to fork the project, if they don't like the proposed import
> of TIGER.  For others, how would a perceived lack of reward be fixed
> by forking the project?
> 
> I think free maps are their own reward.  Setting minimum requirements
> for membership only encourages a crapflood.  I am similarly against
> publishing lists of top contributors/editors/coders.  This is web
> community 101 - any system that can be gamed will be.

I agree. If we should use any rating or top lists, it should be based on 
quality, not quantity. However, given that there is no easy measure of 
quality, we would do better without.

For example, GPX uploading trackpoints statistics. There is a big 
difference between running around on a football pitch with a GPS set to 
1 sample/second to navigating and recording all closes and crescents in 
a london postal district with a GPS set to 60ft. One produces a ton of 
resource-hogging crap which puts a rating right up whilst actually 
reducing the OSM system viability, the other yields relevant, useful data.

> 
> My suggestion of requiring postal address or phone number is in
> response to a general concern that people might try to get more than
> one vote.  It's not actually a concern I share, so I'll leave it
> there.

Again, I agree. Abuse of the system is likely to show through, but 
sending a postcard with a use-once random validation code to a person's 
address, to register as a voting member, would be fairly cheap and easy. 
The maximum price for an airmail postcard stamp is 50 pence.






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