John, Take a look at the welcome messages on github at https://github.com/osmbe/osm-welcome-tool/tree/2.x/templates/messages. If you find one that can be modified to fit your area, just send me a copy with your changes. Once you send it to me I'll work with the developer to add it to Scotland. Key points to keep in mind: where does the community communicate, wiki pages, especially for issue that concern your country, and I like to remind them to respond to changeset comments.
Best, Clifforde On Sat, Mar 21, 2026 at 2:53 AM John Rowbotham < [email protected]> wrote: > Clifford, thank you. > > > > It looks a really good tool. And for the Scots amongst us, ideal. Come > to think of it, the Basques as well. Sadly no one in my part of the UK. > I'm no programmer but if a Githubber out there could create one for me...? > > > > But yes, I use all the things they suggest in DMs already, so it's good to > know I'm on the right track. I always welcome, make it clear I'm just an > ordinary mapper, and I point them to the wiki etc. And indeed as you say, > very few respond. Of those that don't respond but carry on mapping, they do > tend to 'need support with their work' shall we say which takes more time > in the end. It's a shame that we can't make the entry point more welcoming, > more probationary, more....nice. I can say that 100 percent of people I've > mentioned the wiki to online say they have never heard of it and didn't > know there was help out there. > > > > John, off out now to meet a newbie mapper who did reply! > > ------ Original Message ------ > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] Cc: [email protected]; > [email protected] > Sent: Friday, March 20th 2026, 20:15 > Subject: Re: [Talk-GB] Reaching out > > > Check out welcome.osm.be. It is a great tool, created by the Belgium > community, to welcome new users in your area. There are a number of already > written welcome messages, or your can create your own. I find that > reviewing their first edits and offering suggestions, plus sending a > welcoming message is helpful. Most tips I provide are just common things > like squaring buildings, not shortening street names, dragging nodes, > etc. I fix the disruptive issues, like dragged nodes, but encourage them to > fix other issues like buildings not being squared. > > The message includes strong suggestions to use the wiki and to respond to > changeset comments. It also includes where they can reach out to the local > community. > > > Please understand, only a small percentage responds. But I believe it > helps grow the community. > > > The tool is documented on github at > https://github.com/osmbe/osm-welcome-tool. > > Best, > > Clifford > > > > On Fri, Mar 20, 2026 at 9:41 AM John Rowbotham via Talk-GB < > [email protected]> wrote: > > >> Thanks Andy. >> >> >> >> Would anyone have ideas about ways to reach out positively to new >> mappers. Is there a way/system/etiquette to greet newbies, without being >> too intrusive but to be sociable and supportive? >> >> >> >> Recently, I've shared messages with a new mapper who just wants to get >> the right postcode on his house, and Google/Bing/GPO themselves aren't >> listening. As a result I am doing a full survey of houses on a few mile >> rural stretch of road which is blank on the map (well, a bit at a time as I >> can only get there every few days). Obviously errors and poor >> mapping/vandalism that needs calling out should be escalated to you fine >> folks in DWG (and I have). But I believe we should try to encourage and >> support new starters, especially local to us, and not just use the critical >> methods if they do something wrong. >> >> ------ Original Message ------ >> From: [email protected] >> To: [email protected] >> Sent: Friday, March 20th 2026, 15:34 >> Subject: Re: [Talk-GB] Reaching out >> >> On 18/03/2026 13:27, John Rowbotham via Talk-GB wrote: >> >> >> I've used the messaging service and I've used 'comment on changeset' of >> course. I do wonder though if they are using mobile apps whether that >> these messages ever reach them? >> >> It depends on the mapper and on the app. Some people these days tend to >> sign up to apps with "throwaway email addresses" (because of the volume of >> spam and "offers" that you'll get from most commercial sites). Without the >> specifics of a particular message it's difficult to comment. >> >> If someone is persistently ignoring all comments (and you can see that by >> looking at a third-party site such as >> https://resultmaps.neis-one.org/osm-discussion-comments?uid=61942 ) then >> you can ask the DWG to send them a "message that they have to read before >> continuing to edit". That doesn't stop them editing, although they do have >> to read the message first. To ask the DWG to do this email >> [email protected] with as many details as possible about what is >> happening. >> >> Best Regards, >> >> Andy (from the DWG) >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Talk-GB mailing list >> [email protected] >> https://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk-gb >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Talk-GB mailing list >> [email protected] >> https://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk-gb >> >> > > > > -- > > @glassman.bsky.social > www.snowandsnow.us > OpenStreetMap: Maps with a human touch > > -- @glassman.bsky.social www.snowandsnow.us OpenStreetMap: Maps with a human touch
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