[OSM-talk] "created_by='JOSM'"

[Tom Carden]

On 18/10/06, Immanuel Scholz <immanuel.scholz at gmx.de> wrote:
>
> > Is there a way to set JOSM to put created_by='<me>' rather than 'JOSM',
> > which it seems to insert automatically; or do I have to (indeed can I
> > without JOSM replacing it) tediously add the property each time I add a
> > node, segement and way?
>
> The first time introduced, created_by was meant for debugging, so errors
> made by JOSM can be tracked back to the editor. It was *not* meant for
> people entering their own name there. This information is stored within
> the server anyway (which loginname entered which change to the data) but
> not directly exposed via the API (so JOSM cannot display it).
>
>
> Later, I removed the tagging for 2 to 3 weeks and immediatly got circa 5
> emails from different people complaining about the missing tag. ;-)
>
> As JOSM become more popular, this tag looks more silly to me, and maybe it
> is time to try to remove it again without fuel the anger of my user
> base...? :-D
>

I think it's useful.  Not for debugging any more (JOSM being more
proven than the applet, and our new source of de facto best practice),
but certainly for stats.  Maybe we could get that from HTTP logs or
something (can we put JOSM in the user agent header perhaps?).

Of course, for it to be really useful all the other clients should use
their own too, and changing it shouldn't be allowed.

Removing it because of database space is premature optimisation I
think.  Did someone say something about the root of all evil?

Tom.