[OSM-talk] Prolification of the amenity tag

[Andy Robinson]

>-----Original Message-----
>From: Nick Whitelegg [mailto:Nick.Whitelegg at solent.ac.uk]
>Sent: 29 November 2006 12:28 PM
>To: talk at openstreetmap.org
>Cc: Andy_J_Robinson at blueyonder.co.uk
>Subject: Re: [OSM-talk] Prolification of the amenity tag
>
>>While I agree on gpx uploads of flightpaths being withheld from OSM I do
>>that only because it confuses. However with respect to other geo data
>that
>>represents physical features (and the wifi access point hardware is a
>>physical feature) then why do we care what type of geo data the database
>>holds. I'm concerned that we are not thinking outside the box if we set
>>restrictions based on traditional mapping. If my kids want to produce a
>map
>>of all the bubble gum machines in the area why would I not want to let
>them
>>(tooth decay permitting!), they would be producing an innovative map and
>one
>>which has value to a certain group of society. It was the potential for
>this
>>innovation in mapping that drew me to OSM in the first place.
>
>It's a valid point but I think that things like bubble-gum machines, or
>other custom data, would be best served in a mash-up. If someone wanted to
>do an OSM-based mashup of bubble-gum machines, it would be quite easy to
>develop (e.g. combine the OSM map as a base layer and overlay markers of
>bubblegum machines as in your typical Google mashup).
>
>Storing custom data in OSM itself necessitates rendering extra maps, and
>storage of extra tiles... something requiring much more overhead than a
>simple mashup. If each type of "special interest" data required its own
>renderer, the number of renderers, and the amont of storage required,
>would quickly escalate.

I never imagined that just because the data is in OSM that OSM itself would
ever display it by default. That's a job for the mashup site (although all
the data might originate from OSM). The issue here is making it easy for
novices and experienced users alike to have somewhere to store geodata
freely.

Cheers

Andy

>
>Nick
>
>