[OSM-talk] Please be gentle with newbies

[Eugene Alvin Villar]

Wikipedia has had a behavioural guideline like this since almost the
beginning with the nickname WP:BITE: Please do not bite the newcomers.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_do_not_bite_the_newcomers

On Wed, Mar 4, 2020, 7:25 AM john whelan, <jwhelan0112 at gmail.com> wrote:

> These days I'm retired and use my old age pensioner bus pass to grab a
> free coffee.  Often there are strings attached like a group of politicans
> or journalists etc. floating around.
>
> Today I got cornered by one who had been on the receiving end of a
> communication from a mapper saying they had made a mistake on their first
> attempt at mapping.
>
> It was a couple of years ago and the message was a little on the
> aggressive side.  The receiver still remembers it clearly and in their mind
> OSM was a well this not the place to use those sort of words.
>
> When you send a message to a mapper you don't know who they are.  You are
> representing OpenStreetMap when you send a message so please put your
> passion to one side and be gentle with the poor things if only so I can
> enjoy my free coffee in peace.
>
> I do sympathize, I've come across a lot of suboptimal mapping in my time
> and mentally expressed exactly the same thoughts that were expressed but I
> do try to count to ten before sending a polite note that says did you
> really mean to map this this way?  Have you read the wiki here which gives
> guidance?
>
> And yes I know those who read this mailing list would always be polite but
> I couldn't think where else to post it.
>
> Thanks John
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>
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