[OSM-talk] Proliferation of path vs. footway

[Norbert Hoffmann]

David Earl wrote:

>So I say: keep it simple, keep it compatible. Carry on with the simple, 
>established tags we already have, but just clarify the default use 
>classes which apply to each highway tag, PER COUNTRY, and tag exceptions 
>to these according to evidence on the ground. Add specific legal 
>designations only where expert knowledge is available and different from 
>the default interpretation.

I say: forget all defaults and store all those values in the database.
Those only partly documented "defaults" are the cause of the discussed
problems. The process of tagging may be as simple as it is now. Let the
user choose which country he is in (or which country's rules are in his
head while editing) and than the editor can add those defaults.

What we win with this method is, that the apps working with the data need
not know anything about country borders or specific legals and changing
some default in the WIKI will no longer invalidate data.

Norbert