[OSM-talk] [Tagging] Document personal tags in Proposed_features/ space, User: space, or Tag:/Key: space?

Yuri Astrakhan yuriastrakhan at gmail.com
Thu Aug 15 17:23:49 UTC 2019


I agree with Christoph -- every tag used in OSM data must be documented --
otherwise it has near-zero value.. Actually negative value because it
confuses people -- some might want to delete it, but they don't know if it
is useful, so they just leave it there almost indefinitely.

In an ideal world (not limited by the current tooling), the person adding a
new tag should type in an explanation why they are adding it at the same
time it is added.  The tools should also show the user what other similar
tags are available (based on the name and the typed in description), in
case the user is making a mistake and the needed tag already exists.

If we agree on this vision, lets work on achieving that -- we can discuss
implementation details, and I will be happy to participate in that.

On Thu, Aug 15, 2019 at 7:23 AM Christoph Hormann <osm at imagico.de> wrote:

> On Thursday 15 August 2019, Joseph Eisenberg wrote:
> >
> > In contrast, the current text of the wiki page "Any tags you like
> > suggests creating a new tag for bird nests (as an example) with
> > Key:endangered_nest=Siberian_flying_squirrel - besides suggesting
> > using non-standard capitalization in the value, this suggests
> > creating a new Key: / Tag: page directly, rather than using
> > User:username/ or Proposed_features/.
> >
> > Is this a good idea?  Occasionally new wiki pages are created in
> > these standard spaces for tags with only a few uses or no uses in the
> > database.
>
> Yes, IMO it is not only acceptable to document newly invented tags but
> also advisable to do so.  Note however inventing tags in this context
> means actively using them, not theoretical inventions along the lines
> of "I would like mappers to tag things this way therefore i document
> the tag as if it was being used".  Elaborate tagging schemes should be
> discussed before being used and not be invented ad hoc by individual
> mappers.
>
> The reason is - as you mentioned - the "Any tags you like" principle.
> It means you can and should invent new tags for *things no tag exists
> for so far*.  To allow mappers to determine if there is already an
> existing tag for a certain type of feature tags have to be documented.
> Or looking at things the other way round:  If inventing new tags is
> encouraged but it is discouraged to document them in a way that can be
> easily found by other mappers that would massively emphasize tag
> proliferation since mappers will repeatedly invent new and different
> tags for certain things because they are unaware that another mapper
> has already invented a tag for this.
>
> --
> Christoph Hormann
> http://www.imagico.de/
>
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>
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