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Top-level
 @zverik I would suggest sticking with the facts including not claiming that #OpenStreetMap has failed. OSM infrastructure is day and night different than it was in 2012. Not just technically but organisational too. Heck back in 2012 the most popular editor was flash based Potlatch 2. Current contributors wouldn't even know what that is if you hit them over the head with it. 6 comments
@zverik actually Mapbox back then was a good example of how a symbiotic relationship with a commercial entity can work to the benefit of both sides. Mapbox repeated what they had already done with Tilemill to kickstart the company enough that they could really get going. It was clear that this wouldn't fly without buy in from the OSMF and OSM at large, and they talked to the OSMF and once the grant was awarded the work on both the website and iD was done not against, but with the community.  @simon @zverik The Mapbox staff doing the work at the time described how difficult it was to work with the community: enduring abuse, devoting time for psychological recovery, limiting time spent on the project, and swiftly exiting it once minimum deliverables were complete. Source: talks from team members ca. 2014, not recorded. Great software came out of it, but also a general understanding that the OSMF canβt support this kind of work.  @grischard @migurski @simon If that's not the case, I'm happy to be found wrong! |
Gregory's Server
@simon Good thing Mapbox was there for us back then!
I'm not saying OSM got worse or anything. Ten years ago I wouldn't write all this because nobody expected anything from the Board or OSMF. The governance did improve a lot with and after Allan.
It's just their strategy is still "make an app idk", and I want to affect it β but I don't have the hours to devote to working on the Board. Alas in this I feel I'm turning into Christoph :(