[OSM-talk] Paweł's q: what can be done?

Peter Wendorff wendorff at uni-paderborn.de
Tue Feb 5 07:53:46 GMT 2013


Am 05.02.2013 08:15, schrieb Clifford Snow:
> Third parties bring unique value to OSM. However, is 
> it inconceivable that  we might be able to offer something more than 
> just a database?
>
>
>     For example funded Software development has been done by companies
>     like
>     CloudMade, MapQuest on a company budget, or Mapbox that applied
>     for external
>     funding through the Knight foundation to develop OpenStreetMap
>     software like
>     e.g. the iD editor.
>
> This is great until these companies decide that they want us to map 
> according to their rules.  If they are building the tools then we have 
> lost the ability to set our directions. Now from what I've seen of the 
> iD editor it's great. The point I'm trying to stress is that we should 
> set our own path, not let others set it for us. We could still 
> encourage others to build tools, but with the understanding of where 
> we are headed.
But who is "we" here? Who should decide how to "set our own path"? All 
registered mappers? The OSMF board? Registered users? Active Mappers? 
What are active mappers? Coders? Active coders? Wiki editors? Every of 
any of the mentioned groups who is able to read, speak AND write English 
language?
Whatever you choose as a "definition" for "we" here, it's very likely 
that it's not better than what we have now: Everybody who want's to 
decide AND DO.
Sure: that may be companies, and yes, it may have a bad taste that 
companies influence how stuff is done in the "osm universe", but on the 
other hand you could say the same about the JOSM or Potlatch 
maintainers, who influence mapping practice a lot by deciding about 
tagging templates and the like.
I think it's good that everyone, even a company, is able to use osm data 
as well as to provide their users means to contribute back - by 
providing "open-in-osm-editor"-links as well as by implementing their 
own editing functionality (as long as it's done right).

If you want "us" to "set our own path", I have to ask, what differs a 
"better" "us" from the people currently setting up our path - many 
volunteers coding JOSM, Potlatch and iD (even sponsored by Mapbox/Knight 
Foundation as far as I know the iD dev people talk to and receive 
contributions by non-paid volunteers).

regards
Peter
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