OpenStreetMap
There are increasingly many users registered in a 50km circle around my house, most of which located in Vitoria and Vila Velha. I've noticed that most of these never have done any edits, and have no information at all on their profils. It is probably thousands and thousands of these. Does the administration any way of checkingnlast login of users? That way one could install a filter, or in some way remove, users that only have created their accounts, but not contributed in any way.
Discussion
Comment from sdoerr on 15 July 2011 at 22:46
To what end?
Comment from Tom Layo on 16 July 2011 at 09:02
You could also contact them and offer to help them get started.
Comment from Teddiebaer on 16 July 2011 at 15:50
A way to get them making some edits, could be a monthly newsletter or something like that.
Comment from Skippern on 16 July 2011 at 21:46
I have talked to others in the Brazilian comunity, and it looks like there is not much general interest to take part in comunities exept for a hard-core group, there are people who regularly tries to advertize the project via speaches, work groups, contacting people contributing in various areas and such, and in most cases people doesn't even respond on our mails. It seems like many people just enters to have a look than goes somewhere else, and it doesn't seem like we are able to contact them in any ways.
There are a good deal more people reading the Brazilian mailing list than the active group writing there, but it seems like the people following the mailing lists at least are contributing to the project.
I would like more people to contribute to the project, I am not able to add all amenities in southern Espírito Santo (area the size of England) all by myself, and getting active people in this region will largly help, but a person just creating an account, than never to return, and neither responds any attempts to contact them on email is not goimg to help the project.
Comment from compdude on 17 July 2011 at 01:44
Yes, there are SO MANY inactive users in my area!
Comment from Minh Nguyen on 17 July 2011 at 05:50
Perhaps they think registering will unlock more features like directions. Instead, they get the edit tab. :-)
Comment from dcp on 17 July 2011 at 18:49
I tend to agree with Skippen. i.e. Remove users who not contributed any data at all. I know it is not statistically representative but here is a summary of the activities of those in my vicinity:
9 users with 0 input
10 users with last input over 2 years ago
5 users with last input over 1 year ago
12 users with inputs during the last 12 months
Where lies the argument for keeping those with 0 data imputs:
Is it to bloat the number of users to the press by about 33%.
Let's face it: The more data there is in OSM and the more complex (multipolygons and relations, etc.) it becomes, the more difficult it will become to make data additions/changes in the future.
Take a look at OSM-Inspector and see the errors being made by newcommers and I mean errors and not just missing tags/attributes.
Minh Nguyen is probably right, the newcomers are looking for route directions; don't get them and return to Google.
I suggest that newcommers only become users when they make a single entry.
This does not have to be field data, it could be other information in the Wiki format.
Comment from netman55 on 17 July 2011 at 20:49
Don't worry about, KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON MAPPING
Comment from Sanderd17 on 18 July 2011 at 07:16
I agree with teddiebear, a monthly newsletter about what's happening in OSM could draw some more active people to OSM. Both people that have forgotten OSM and people that never understood OSM.
Comment from Skippern on 18 July 2011 at 09:18
So what should I write in this monthly newsletter?
"Sorry, but the only active member in the area have not been able to contribute the last month due to high worklpad, keep up the good work."
This is almost true and doesn't look very motivating or informative to me.
Comment from jose_ecu on 18 July 2011 at 15:53
When I find sometime I contribute to name some streets in my city (Guayaquil) and other palces in my country (Ecuador)...so I am a contributor, but most of the time I use what other people had done in other cities around the world, so I am a user...
A user does not need to be a contributor to use OSM...we contributors do it because we feel is the right thing to do for us and for others.
Comment from PieterKuiper on 2 August 2011 at 11:41
I agree: remove users without edits from the list "Other nearby users".