[OSM-talk] The segments vs ways vs superways question, again...

[Robert (Jamie) Munro]

Leszek Jakubowski wrote:
>> In fact, why do we need ways? I think tags should be applied directly to
>> arbitrary groups of segments. So the tag "ref=M25" would have all the
>> segments that make up the M25 in it's group. The tag "highway=motorway"
>> would have all motorways etc. We'd need to be a bit careful to make sure
>> that roads with the same name in different towns are logically kept
>> separated, but that shouldn't be too hard to do. Of course this is a
>> major change to the data that can't be easily retrofitted, so I should
>> probably leave it to one side.
>> ...
>> Robert (Jamie) Munro
> 
> I think ways are an important feature, they enable to extend the
> information on OSM in an easy way. For example:
> - Navigation software could use the same format to store simplified
> traces as ways.
> - If OSM grows there might be some OpenRacingMaps that would cover
> racing tracks which might be marked as a way over already existing
> streets.
> - Or mass transport companies using their bus lines as additional ways
> again over the same segments.
> Ways provide some level of scalability which might be very useful in the future.

All of those would work better as my proposal (a tag on a group of
segments) than as ways. The problem with ways is that each segment is a
member of 1 and only 1 way. Although this isn't strictly enforced, it
does seem to be the intention. My proposal is that segments be a member
of 0 or many groups of segments that has a tag associated with it.

Robert (Jamie) Munro



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