[OSM-talk] Tag proposal/approval system is too heavyweight

[Sven Grüner]

Frederik Ramm schrieb:
> Decisions have to be made every day. But they can be re-decided  
> tomorrow if the need arises. As long as nobody thinks that something  
> that has been voted upon by 20 out of 20,000 project members is  
> somehow above being re-decided tomorrow, that's ok I guess.

That's what I'm taking for granted in any wiki-like project.

The approving of tags is (like anything in our wiki) just a recommodation.
When you have the desire and time to read the discussion of any tag you
use that's fine. That's why those discussion aren't deleted after the
voting closed.
But I'm not willing to read all those discussions while my desk is
covered with paper sketches and JOSM is running. Instead I'm thankful
that other people took the time to read and think about those
discussions and gave there opinion on a yes/no base allowing me to sum
up the discussion at one glance. When the outcome of such a vote doesn't
appear sound to me I'm still able to dive into the discussion and make
up my own opinion.
But on many topics I just have no clue at all and do trust those people
who have. When Gerv and other people come to a conclusion how to tag
canals I'll just use that sheme when I come along one without making up
my opinion.
It's like trusting my doctors advice. He's got the expertise I don't.
When his advice appears bogus I try another doctor or study medical
sciences myself.

When your tagging is purely based on the discussions that's fine. But
why are you against voting just because you don't use it? Especially
newbies can't be expected to spend days reading. On the contrary, they
are unexperienced in mapping and trust those who cast their vote based
on weeks/months/years of mapping.
You aren't against other people mapping features that don't interest
you, are you?

This, of course, relies on the fact that people only vote on issues they
have the knowledge to judge about. The German phrase for this is "Wenn
man keine Ahnung hat, einfach mal die Fresse halten!" ;-)

regards, Sven

Ps: Sorry about the crappy English