OpenStreetMap
Improving the OSM map - Why don't we? [5]
Posted by marczoutendijk on 22 May 2015 in English. Last updated on 23 April 2017.How to use Notes?
Whenever we tag something there are a lot of key=value pairs we can choose from. One of them is the note key.
With openpoimap I was investigating the use of this tag.
Below you see a screenshot of Berlin with the note’s that were made on a great number of nodes.
IMHO the use of a note is twofold:
- The note is used to clarify something that cannot be displayed with any other key=value. E.g.
This note tells me what I need to know about Fritz Schloss. - The note is used as a reminder to the mapper himself (or to others) that one is not sure about what is displayed with the other keys. E.g. some more research is needed. This use of a note is more or less the same as the fixme/FIXME key (which for mysterious reasons is available both in lower- and uppercase). Here is an example:
But now have a look at this:
The note is exactly the same as the name tag for that node. Why is that?
Probably the mapper first wrote down that note as a reminder and later decided to use the note text as the value for the name, but why not remove the note? It is completely without any use!
So, mappers, whenever you make a note to yourself, remove it once the case is clear!
Discussion
Comment from Warin61 on 23 May 2015 at 09:50
Location: I have seen note with the lat/log stated on a node …. I move the node to the correct lat/log and had good agreement between the feature and bing sat view. So it is a way of ensuring the location remains with the node .. no matter if some one moves it.
Note to other mappers: I have made comments for mappers who may question a feature , for clarification.
There are many uses for the note key.. not just for the person making the note.