[OSM-talk] Awards

[Andy Robinson (blackadder-lists)]

Mike Collinson wrote:
>Sent: 21 August 2009 4:11 PM
>To: OSM
>Subject: Re: [OSM-talk] Awards
>
>At 16:33 21/08/2009, Martin Koppenhoefer wrote:
>> 2009/8/21 Frederik Ramm <frederik at remote.org>:
>> > Â  Â I just stumpled across this list of awards that Wikipedia seem to
>> > have for their contributors:
>> > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Service_awards
>> > One part of me finds them funny, and interesting, almost as if they
>come
>> > from some sort of role playing game. Another part of me abhors the
>> > implicit hierarchy conferred by such awards, it is almost like service
>> > ranks in the military.
>> > I'm interested to hear everybody's thoughts on the matter.
>>
>> I'm not generally opposing this, but please don't make referrals to
>> totalitarism like this page does IMHO partly intended, partly unaware
>> (communist star (I know that this is an unexclusive meaning, e.g.
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_California but it IMHO still is
>> the general interpretation), little red book, and the worst (probably
>> unintended: {{SA-journeyman}} , {{SA-apprentice}}, etc. which in
>> German law would be ~"using forbidden signs and symbols")
>>
>> cheers,
>> Martin
>
>Check out the 2007 "Open Street Mapping Accolades", an Oscar Award parody
>at  http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/User:Ewmjc/2007_OSMA_Awards for
>another approach.  Humour also has its dangers in a multi-cultural
>environment; what is funny to one might be perplexing or insulting to
>another unless done with care.  That said, it is a gentle non-elitist way
>of high-lighting some of the great things people have done to a wider
>audience.
>
>Mike

And we actually have some prior "star" accolades, similar to the barnstars
approach I guess. I even have a couple of them at the bottom of my wiki page
gratefully presented by others [1] many GPS tracks ago. It was a bit of fun
at the time and I certainly don’t feel the need to have any more, but I can
understand how, especially for newcomers, something that reinforces that
they really have joined the community can help build confidence and
motivate.

Cheers

Andy

[1] http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/User:Blackadder#Awards