[OSM-talk] Id stability

[Frederik Ramm]

Hi,

On 08/02/11 16:06, Gregor Horvath wrote:
> OSM provides uri's to ID's which are linked to names of
> physical objects. Example:
>
> http://www.openstreetmap.org/browse/node/1381574156
>
> IN HTTP world URI's should be stable

Well maybe then we should stop providing URIs if this gives people the 
wrong impression ;)

> and a request for a moved object
> should return an HTTP Status code of 301 ( Moved Permanently) instead
> of 404 (Not Found).

I think you are again making the mistake of mixing various layers of 
meaning. If someone deletes an object in OSM to trace it anew, from 
better imagery for example, then he is creating a new model, and the old 
model ceases to exist. It is perfectly ok for a link to the old model to 
return 404.

(On the other hand, it may be possible for someone to move a model of a 
house in OSM by 200 metres and the HTTP return code would still not be 
301 ;)

> The same logic should apply to OSM ID's/URI's

As I said, if there is a mistake here then it is probably in your 
expectation, not in what OSM is doing; and it may be our fault to have 
given you that expectation by using a REST interface. We should take 
care to make clear on the Wiki that OSM is a database of models of 
things - models that may vanish at any time - and not a database of things.

Bye
Frederik