[OSM-talk] Public notary (Map feature POI proposal)

[Stephen Hope]

2010/1/8 Pieren <pieren3 at gmail.com>:
> I would like but we need some clear definition about "office" and what
> makes the difference with the existing "amenity" and "shop" keys.
> For instance, the current definition of shop in Map Features is:
> "A shop is a place of business stocked with goods for sale or where a
> service is provided to the general public."
> Should be the "service" removed from the shop definition and says
> that's exclusively for goods retail ? Then "office" would be "Any
> private/business/customer services where there is no goods exchanged"
> ? Should we exclude the public services (staying in amenity) ?

If I go to a tattooist, he doesn't sell me any goods, he provides a
service.  But I would call that shop, not an office. On the other
hand, I can buy stuff at places that I would consider to be offices.
My vet sells medicines, special dog food, etc, and I've been to an
accountant/lawyer's office who had a couple of related items (business
software, tax books, etc) they stocked as a service for their
customers.  I don't think there can be a rule based just on whether
you can buy goods - maybe it should be "where exchange of goods is not
the primary purpose"?

I can't easily give you a rule as to what an office is, but I can tell
one when I see it  :)

Stephen