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Top-level
 @richlv @zverik the thing is, funds are in reality not unlimited, so there has to be choices. Sure the OSMF could move to a centralized development model, but if wikipedia is anything to go by then we would then just have one and a half editors. As is we have a competitive market place in which everything goes. That has the advantage that there is more choice and the disadvantage that the majority of devs are working on their own dime (or whatever they are able to scavenge from 3rd parties). 7 comments
@richlv @zverik OWL never really worked, and the last dev that worked on it tried to use it as leverage to get employed by the OSMF ... which as we know, failed. A full blown replacement for it is probably out of the financial reach of the OSMF and it isn't even clear if that approach still makes any sense.  @simon @richlv Regarding OWL, yeah, I made WhoDidIt which basically replaced it, and then Wille made OSMCha that got supported by Mapbox and basically fully covers the standard low-level changes monitoring. I wouldn't say they used it as a leverage... Or I don't remember it all too well. It definitely was too early for that. @simon @richlv Currently I see the choice is between all or nothing: if we can't fund everything, we'll allow developers go at their own pace with their own money. I heard this Wikimedia thing repeated so often, I started doubting that it's either-or proposition. And pretty sure OSM is far from a competitive market. If we count every single attempt at making an editor, we will hardly get to a hundred. There are 27 editors with 30+ users _in_a_year_, OSMF could start supporting them all easily. |
Gregory's Server
@simon @zverik
Yeah, and OSMF supporting some editors (or projects in other categories) would likely kill others in that space.
And I say this still being sad that OWL disappeared, had wished to see it on osm.org.
Perhaps OSMF could act more as a facilitator, helping to connect developers with potential grant sources, having some templates for applications and the process?
It would reduce the risk of favoritism, help the devs and keep OSMF at "supports not controls".