[OSM-talk] threats

[SteveC]

I can see this might start a flame war but I'd rather at least talk
about it.

Imi came on instant message today, he wants to set up an anonymous
account so that anyone can upload 'anonymously' from JOSM to OSM. I
pointed out the following problems.

First, if anyone uses it to delete all the nodes or anything else stupid
then I have to deactivate the entire account. I can't sit around pouring
through the history. Currently you can't look through the history easily
as an end user.

Second, if anyone uses that account to upload copyrighted data and we
get a cease and desist then I have to remove everything that account
did.

Third, it's just not due diligence to allow it.

There are arguments for allowing ip address-based editing like wikipedia
but it's not implemented at all. 

So we went on to IRC as jabber instant message was having problems
(transcript below, please read, I've just removed his password). Imi
published his user/pass for OSM (thus compromising everything above) and
said if I deactivate the account then he's off for sure. I asked him to
reconsider, see below.



These kind of threats are _unfair_, and having them linger is unfair.
Imi does amazing work but I, or we as it is now, can't just submit to
every threat to leave. It's also a stress to have to deal with and write
this email.

The other thing is the claim that I am trying to stop anonymity. Given
the flak/flames I took for not releasing everyones login details, their
gps traces etc (the entire database)... I'm just perplexed.



Imi, please reconsider and let me change your password now its out in
the open.


---

* Now talking on #osm
<imi> morning steve.
<SteveC> talk here?
<imi> sorry. con problems
<SteveC> yeah
<imi> damnit.. amessage.de is unstable last days..
<SteveC> so I don't see what the benefits are
<imi> well, I will not talk about "why people want to remain anonym".
Really. Thats below my level :-(
<SteveC> but hold on
<SteveC> you were the one asking for eveyones email addresses and stuff
to be released!
<imi> Yes, and if you remember, I added in the same email, that I don't
care about my privacy as long as I can be anonym and can decide when I
don't want to identify myself-.
<SteveC> which is a contradiction
<imi> phe.
<imi> well, anyway. I think we should provide an anonymous account,
where the user don't have to enter an email. Alternative, we could give
the probability to use an openstreetmap.org-email, if that is
technically easier.
<imi> everything else leads to bogus accounts.
<SteveC> so what?
<SteveC> bogus accounts are more hassle to set up and much easier to
track
<imi> so you call this a security feature?
<SteveC> its security, privacy and copyright due diligence
<imi> I want to ALLOW anonymity, you want to fight it.
<SteveC> bollocks do you, you were the one who wanted everyones
addresses and all their edits... thats not wanting privacy
<imi> to all: if you want to be anonym, just use
"immanuel.scholz at gmx.de" with password "****", as already written in
many subversion scripts.
<imi> and if this leads to an account deactivation, I am off for sure.
<imi> :-(
<SteveC> you're mad
<imi> I will use my account for the testing stuff.
<imi> this is now an open account.
<imi> since I did not contribute much stuff anyway, I see no problem
here.
<SteveC> if that account is used for anything malicious I'll have to
deactivate it
<imi> or you remove the malicious thing.
<SteveC> so now you want me to sit around all day looking for malicious
edits
<imi> and since all history is preserved, that could be possible in
(hopefully) all case.
<imi> no, I want everyone to sit around and look for it. Like in
wikipedia.
<imi> Jimbo does not look around all the day.
<SteveC> but none of that functionality is there yet
<imi> *shrug*.. ok, time to implement history in JOSM.
* eckhart (~eckhart at p549BA6A8.dip0.t-ipconnect.de) has joined #osm
* eckhart_ (~eckhart at p549BA6A8.dip0.t-ipconnect.de) has joined #osm
* eckhart has quit (Read error: Connection reset by peer)
<SteveC> I'm sorry I have to write to the list about this, will you
reconsider?
* eckhart__ (~eckhart at p549BA5DA.dip0.t-ipconnect.de) has joined #osm
<imi> what should I reconsider?
<SteveC> your threat to leave, and the publication of your login details
<imi> well, you either have to throw me out or I will create an open
account for people who like to be anonym.
<imi> sorry, but I will not discuss this.
<imi> I never thought you are going to forbid anonymity. I am very picky
about this.

have fun,

SteveC steve at asklater.com http://www.asklater.com/steve/