What I did in OpenStreetMap in August 2021

• Mapping
  • Continued to do regular mapping, such with StreetComplete or the Irish Building Mapping Project
  • Took part in the OSMW Discord Summer mapathon, on the #events channel. I just did TIGER clean up (e.g. #1)
  • Some mapping (as part of OSMUS task 134) for Hurricane Ida, cleaning up a lot of TIGER junk (e.g. #1)
• Hacking
  • Mapping Party Before After
    • After micromapping a campsite, I wanted to make a before/after image. So I wrote software (osm-mapping-party-before-after that uses osm-carto to make it. Example output image
  • pTerry JOSM plugin
    • I made a JOSM plugin in 2017 to add clacks_overhead=GNU Terry Pratchett changeset tag. Based on recent news media, I was encourage to clean it up.
    • I’ve published it properly on GitHub
    • Social media posts: mastodon/fediverse h̶e̶l̶l̶s̶i̶t̶e̶ twitter
    • Added to the JOSM plugin list, so you can install it the normal way.
  • OpenLoveMap doesn’t seem to work? I emailed the creator.
  • osm2pgsql puts OSM data into PostgreSQL. I use it all the time.
    • I submitted a few simple patches to fix my problems.
      • support older versions of python, which was accepted
      • make regular output go to stdout, which was rejected.
      • Add info command accepted.
      • Update the documentation, to make future patches easier, accepted
      • Quick one to support -p, accepted.
  • For several years, I’ve made a Rust library for read & writing OSM data files, osmio, source on github, docs
    • I added the ability to read changeset files
  • osm-tag-csv-history is a programme I made to convert OSM tag editing to CSV, so you can analyze it more.
    • Added --tag T argument to only show changes to certain tags
    • Added --changeset-tag C which includes column of the changeset tag
  • mod_tile powers nearly all raster tile servers. xamanu has started packaging mod_tile into debian, and asked for some help debugging tirex.
• Communication WG
  • Posted an envelope to Iran & USA
• OSMF Board
  • Active Contributor Programme, 2021/Res27, 2021/Res28
  • OSMF supporting Mastodon
    • I’ve been running & paying for en.osm.town Mastodon server for 2+ years (see my diary entry from July 2018). I thought it’s time for the OSMF to support this
    • The FOSS Policy Special Committee recommended to the Board that the OSMF endorse this service.
    • I initially proposed (2021/Res25) that the OSMF refund me for the €415 I had paid over the last few years.
    • I want to see a world where people in OSM start ideas like this, start trying to things which help OSM, even if it costs the person money. Maybe some of those ideas work, maybe they don’t. I think if an idea, like the mastodon server works, then it should be (financially) supported by the OSMF. If someone spends money on something that doesn’t work, that flops, then the OSMF shouldn’t pay for that at all.
    • I am able to afford the money I spent on this. But some people would not be able to afford it. That means that certain experimentation in OSM is not possble for some people. I don’t like that. I think if you take a gamble (with your money) to improve OSM and it’s not a failure, then it’s fair for OSMF to “pay you back” for what you paid.
    • However I didn’t discuss this idea with the rest of the OSMF before starting the poll (I had obviously discussed the idea of OSMF funding it). And my idea did catch some people off guard, so they voted it down, and some board members wanted to see what the CWG thought.
    • I organised a ran a poll of the CWG on this, and they unanimously agreed to recommend the Board fund this (4 yes votes, 2 CoI based abstainations (incl. me)).
    • I started a new board resolution (2021/Res29), which passed
    • Sign up en.osm.town here
    • Follow me on Mastodon/Fediverse: @amapanda@en.osm.town.
    • To set it up, I emailed masto.host to change to yearly (from montly) billing.
  • Advisory Board
    • The board met with the AB on 10th August 2021
      • Unfortunately, despite asking the AB, they didn’t add any agenda items before the meeting
      • Update on hiring our SSRE & iD employees
      • Asked people to apply to join the EWG & to fresh out the OSMF Strategy Plan.
      • We talked about whether the OSMF should publish archives of the AB list
      • Mentioned the AGM in Dec 2021
      • Update on the OSMF “diversity” work
      • We recommended why one should run for the OSMF Board
      • There were about a dozen people there, nearly all Local Chapter representatives
    • Emailed the AB list & osmf-talk@ to remind people
    • Afterward, set up a poll for the next meeting in November
  • HOT Trademark grant
    • This is taking a while, I raised this at the mid month chat
    • As courtsey, I emailed the HOT board to tell them we haven’t forgotten that.
  • Attribution Guidelines
    • The Board asked the LWG to help guide big data consumers move into compliance with that, and I emailed them check up.
  • EU Transparency Portal
    • I got forwarded an email that we need to update our entry. Then it’s all about finding the right people to talk to (I can’t log in)
  • 🏳️‍🌈
    • I asked the emailed State of the Map Organising Committee looking for feedback on making SotM always safe for LGBTQ+ people

2021: Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July

2020: Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.