[OSM-talk] Indiscrimate layering

[Frederik Ramm]

Hi,

Chris Hill wrote:
> Is it too late to ban anonymous edits in API 0.6?

It is not something that changes the API (it requires a code change but 
the interface remains unchanged) so it can be done any time - either 
now, or when API 0.6 is introduced, or any time after that. It is 
predominantly a matter of communication; we need no tell the poor people 
why they cannot make changes and how to remedy that.

And of course it is a matter of building consensus. Last time we 
discussed the issue, an (IMHO) overwhelming majority were in favour of 
banning anonymous edits but among those wo said let's keep the practice 
was the founder of the project & chairman of OSMF so the discussion 
fizzled somewhat ;-)

His argument was that there may be places where you face legal trouble 
for mapping and we need to allow these people to remain unidentifiable. 
- I still think that anyone mapping in such a place would be better off 
using a series of throwaway accounts anyway, whether we make all edits 
public or not. Nobody has said we need to publish the user's identity, 
just the screen name...

Bye
Frederik

-- 
Frederik Ramm  ##  eMail frederik at remote.org  ##  N49°00'09" E008°23'33"