[OSM-talk] Import guidelines & OSMF/DWG governance

[Lester Caine]

Pieren wrote:
>> DWG does also not usually require people to use a separete import account if
>> >they are doing small imports (even though the policy does not mention an
>> >exception for small imports). This, however, was orders of magnitude above
>> >"small".

> What is the difference between one small import well done by 100 users
> and 100 small imports well done by 1 user ? Excepted that this crazy
> man should be congratulated by all of us ?

Having to clean up some of the mess made by imports that were not as well 
sanitised as they should have been, personally I get irritated at any 'import' 
is loaded. At least though a small account that results in problem data can be 
managed. When we have thousands of change sets to work through it becomes a lot 
more difficult. The current 'import' process is not ideal and we do need some 
improvements. Ring fencing 'import' processes in their own accounts was one 
attempt but still not ideal. DWG are doing the best they can in mediating 
problems and do need a better 'footprint' of international coverage, but if 
nobody will step up to the plate, then we simply have to accept the job they are 
currently doing. And I find they are doing a thankless task more than acceptably.

Now if there is a substantial set of data available which we are allowed to 
import then that data should be available ... as an overlay or some other way 
... such as the OS data is available as overlays we can trace from. This way we 
can cross check imported data, and fix things that the original importer got 
wrong. Importing from third party mass data without an easy path to cross check 
against the original data is I think the problem here? I believe the original 
intention was that the 'raw data' would be identified by the separate user 
account, and then merges from that can easily be identified to the user actually 
making the changes. That perhaps is not obvious these days?

We need to cooperate and agree the best way of doing things, but we do still 
have a way to go to get systems that work world wide.

-- 
Lester Caine - G8HFL
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