On Tue, Dec 04, 2012 at 05:44:52PM -0800, Jeff Meyer wrote: > What's the role of the wiki as a source of information in the OSM community?
As for every source of information you have to evaluate how good that source ist, how current, how accurate. You have to see how the source got that information and put the information into a larger context. You can never just look at one source and be confident that the information you get is right. The OSM wiki is not that different from other sources of information. Only more so. :-) If you compare different source of information a telephone book might be on one end (simple, mostly accurate pieces of information easily understood), and the OSM wiki on the other (complex, often outdated and incomplete information that's hard to use). That might not be ideal, but that is what we have. What we do in the OSM project is difficult, often there are no simple answers. So don't expect them. You will have to search for answers and you'll often have to consult others who have been around longer. And keep in mind that the wiki is not only a "source of information", it is also a "place of collaboration". Like this mailing list and some other places. It is the participation in this community that gives you, in the long term, the best understanding of OSM and a broader perspective that helps you interpreting the information in the wiki and elsewhere. > In general, is there a method to when the wiki is or is not relevant? It is always relevant. Even if it is wrong. > I'm hoping it's relevant as OSM continues to grow - reading through old > email archives isn't super efficient (or clarifying). And the only way this situation is going to improve is when people like you take the information thats out there (for instance in this thread on the mailing list) and add it to the wiki. :-) I encourage everybody to participate in building the wiki. Yes, it is a lot of work. But it is the only way. Jochen -- Jochen Topf joc...@remote.org http://www.remote.org/jochen/ +49-721-388298 _______________________________________________ talk mailing list talk@openstreetmap.org http://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk
