[OSM-talk] Thoughts on OSM design, and looking forward and back

[Gervase Markham]

On 24/02/10 17:19, Tom Hughes wrote:
> I completely disagree. We're running a project to map the world, not a 
> project to provide an end user site to compete with google maps.

I claim false dichotomy.

With code, the best way to hook someone into your project is to make it
super-easy to get the code, make it work, make a change and then
_see_the_change_ in their copy. (This is why it's easier to get involved
in a scripting-language project with no dependencies than with something
which requires a 1-hour compilation phase and 17 libraries - and more
people do.)

Similarly, with OSM, I suggest that the way to get people involved is to
have them see the map, and use the map for the things they would
otherwise use Google Maps for, and _then_ have the thought process
"That's wrong. Hey - I could fix it!".

Gerv