On 30 Dec 2011, at 16:36, Richard Weait wrote: > On Fri, Dec 30, 2011 at 10:55 AM, Thomas Davie <[email protected]> wrote: >>> First of all, one would have to define the exact difference between "OSM is >>> providing maps" and "another project is providing maps". Why exactly would >>> OSM have to provide maps; >> >> Perhaps because that's the original, and stated purpose of the project – to >> make open maps. >> >> As I've said many times – a database of map data is a *really* useful thing, >> it's probably the single most important contribution OSM can make, but >> ultimately, the *point* of the project is to make maps. >> >> Pretty much everything you say is based on the premise that the point of the >> project is to make an enormous collection of map data, and damn actually >> being able to use it. This premise is false. > > The point of a project to create a really good text editor is to > provide a tool for editing text. Nobody expects vim or emacs to > provide you with the finished document when you download vim or emacs. Right, just like we don't provide where to go for a walk, only the map of the place you could go for a walk.
> Our situation in OSM is not exactly the same as a text editor. Agreed. Tom Davie _______________________________________________ talk mailing list [email protected] http://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk
