[OSM-talk] Code of conduct for automated (mass-) edits

[Nick Barnes]

Seems to me that everybody replying thinks that there ought to be some
sort of framework for mass changes and I'll go along with that too.

However, the OP raised an interesting point...

Frederik Ramm wrote:
> One example to which I took exception is ... changing "Strasse" in the name to 
> "Straße", which is the correct spelling (but nonetheless "Strasse" is 
> often found on signs).

"Straße" may well be the correct spelling in German speaking countries,
but it certainly isn't in the UK. (e.g.
http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=53.7998&lon=-1.75262&zoom=17&layers=B000FTF).


I was at the Bradford Mapping Party this weekend (which is how I spotted
'Hamm Strasse' - see link above). One of the guys there commented that
after he spent some time mapping an area called 'Batley Carr', some
numbskull thought it would be a good idea to correct all the
misspellings of 'car' and changed every single reference.

I have no evidence that either of these changes were applied globally,
but all it takes is for some blinkered xenophobe to decide that
everybody ought to use their character set, language rules and
dictionary and we're in a right mess.

Anyway, rant over.

Nick.