Data Working Group/DWG Activity Report Q4 2019

From OpenStreetMap Foundation

DWG Activity Report for Q4, 2019

Statistics

Dwg-cases-q4-2019.png

412 tickets were created in OTRS in this quarter (147 of these were copied from the web site issue tracker). Issues of minor importance are sometimes handled directly in the web site issue tracker and will therefore not be counted.

A total of 531 messages were received in the context of these tickets, and 1248 messages and memos were written by DWG members.

37 tickets were follow-on tickets to older issues, 24 were discarded as spam. 306 tickets created in this quarter were closed, and additionally, 37 tickets from previous periods were closed.

The median time for the first (non-automated) response to tickets was 26 hours.

9 DWG members were active in the quarter (96% of cases were handled by the five busiest members).

The majority of tickets were handled in English (278), but we also used the languages French (17), Russian (16), Dutch (12), and German (9). (We will also often include auto-translated versions of English messages in responses.)

Generally, all these numbers should be taken with a grain of salt because edge cases can be mis-counted in our statistics. Also, due to reorganisation or cleaning out of old information, it is possible that previous quarters shown in the above graph differ slightly from the numbers published at the time.

Comment and Notable Issues

Node Reuse

In this reporting quarter we have seen a number of examples of "node reuse". What seemed to be happening was that a group of people were using JOSM for two different processes - one (normal mapping) using OSM data, and another using non-OSM data which used node values in the 1,000,000 range (OSM allocated those node numbers in Alaska about 13 years ago). This resulted in large Atlantic-spanning changesets, which made them fairly easy to spot. The node reuse didn't appear to be deliberate, and there have been no further accidents since then.

"Automatic Fix" edits

We received a complaint about a series of "automatic fix" edits. A user was searching for examples of particular shops and letting iD "fix" the tags there. That works if you're familiar with an area and now that the shop called X in a particular town really is "well known brand" X, but not where X is a fairly generic name. One issue was raised directly by the DWG - https://github.com/osmlab/name-suggestion-index/issues/3521 - but a number of other suggestions were also made by other mappers. What we also did was sift through the complaints (of which there were many) and checking whether they were justified, fixing data or adding changeset comments as required.

In general, the number of complaints DWG gets about editor software is small and they usually boil down to a user misunderstanding the validation assistance offered by editors as an urgent need to "fix everything". It is important for contributors to understand that they bear full responsibility for the contributions they make - "but the program suggested I do X" is not an excuse since the OSM community does not control the editor software.

List of Cases

closed tickets from previous periods
Created Type Region Action
2015-05-25 vandalism UK advice given, block issued, reverted
2017-03-23 policy violation India advice given
2017-05-30 poor mapping Italy block issued, reverted
2018-08-20 user dispute or no response Italy
2018-10-12 poor mapping Netherlands advice given
2018-11-13 request for help or information no action needed
2018-11-25* poor mapping Indonesia advice given, community contacted
2019-04-19* policy violation USA advice given, reverted
2019-05-29 other Germany advice given
2019-06-14 user dispute or no response Greece block issued
2019-07-05 request for help or information Ukraine no action needed
2019-07-22* poor mapping Russia advice given, hiding of notes or comments, other
2019-07-28 other Congo block issued, reverted
2019-07-28 request for help or information Cuba map edited
2019-07-29 vandalism USA advice given, block issued
2019-08-07* other Russia no action needed
2019-08-08 copyright Russia block issued, redacted
2019-08-16 copyright Russia block issued, changeset commented, redacted
2019-08-20 policy violation Worldwide community contacted
2019-08-23 user dispute or no response Latin America advice given, changeset commented, community contacted, reverted
2019-08-27 vandalism Japan block issued, reverted
2019-08-28 user dispute or no response global advice given
2019-09-04 international dispute Artsakh Republic advice given
2019-09-10 poor mapping USA advice given, block issued
2019-09-12 request for help or information n/a advice given
2019-09-12* user dispute or no response Russia other
2019-09-17* vandalism Russia block issued, changeset commented
2019-09-17* user dispute or no response Russia changeset commented
2019-09-18 user dispute or no response
2019-09-22* poor mapping Italy block issued
2019-09-23* vandalism Ukraine block issued, reverted
2019-09-24 policy violation UK advice given
2019-09-26* other China advice given
2019-09-27* user dispute or no response Russia block issued
2019-09-28 request for help or information UK advice given
2019-09-29* user dispute or no response Russia block issued
2019-09-29* other France no action needed
closed tickets from this period
Created Type Region Action
2019-10-03 policy violation Poland advice given
2019-10-03 user dispute or no response France advice given, community contacted
2019-10-03* poor mapping France advice given, hiding of notes or comments
2019-10-03 international dispute Western Sahara advice given
2019-10-03* vandalism USA block issued
2019-10-06 international dispute Palestine advice given, block issued, changeset commented, community contacted, reverted
2019-10-06 poor mapping France advice given
2019-10-06 user dispute or no response Iran no action needed
2019-10-06 user dispute or no response n/a no action needed
2019-10-07 misdirected complaint Worldwide other
2019-10-08 user dispute or no response Germany changeset commented, community contacted
2019-10-08 privacy issue Germany / Turkey advice given
2019-10-08 misdirected complaint USA advice given
2019-10-09 other France no action needed
2019-10-10 misdirected complaint UK advice given
2019-10-11* poor mapping France advice given
2019-10-11* poor mapping Sweden advice given
2019-10-11 vandalism USA advice given
2019-10-11* user dispute or no response Worldwide advice given, block issued, changeset commented, map edited, reverted
2019-10-12* vandalism USA block issued
2019-10-12* spam USA hiding of notes or comments
2019-10-12* poor mapping Uruguay advice given
2019-10-13 misdirected complaint Indonesia advice given
2019-10-13* user dispute or no response Italy advice given
2019-10-14 request for help or information n/a community contacted
2019-10-14 poor mapping Russia changeset commented, reverted
2019-10-14 misdirected complaint Canada no action needed
2019-10-15* poor mapping Iran advice given
2019-10-15 user dispute or no response Bahamas advice given
2019-10-15* poor mapping Iran advice given
2019-10-15* policy violation Switzerland changeset commented, reverted
2019-10-15 copyright Sweden advice given, changeset commented, reverted
2019-10-15 copyright Sweden advice given, changeset commented, reverted
2019-10-15 policy violation Sweden advice given, reverted
2019-10-16* user dispute or no response Ukraine no action needed
2019-10-16 other Russia advice given
2019-10-16 user dispute or no response Russia block issued
2019-10-16 request for help or information n/a advice given
2019-10-16* poor mapping France advice given
2019-10-17 poor mapping Portugal block issued, reverted
2019-10-17 vandalism Portugal block issued
2019-10-17 user dispute or no response Germany no action needed
2019-10-17 misdirected complaint Republic of Macedonia advice given
2019-10-17* user dispute or no response Russia no action needed
2019-10-18 copyright Russia redacted
2019-10-18 other Germany advice given
2019-10-19* user dispute or no response Saudi Arabia advice given
2019-10-19 other
2019-10-19 policy violation global advice given, reverted
2019-10-20* user dispute or no response Iran changeset commented
2019-10-20* other Iran advice given
2019-10-20 other
2019-10-20* other
2019-10-20 copyright Austria no action needed
2019-10-21 vandalism Finland advice given, map edited, reverted
2019-10-21 request for help or information France advice given
2019-10-21 request for help or information n/a advice given
2019-10-22 vandalism Russia block issued, reverted
2019-10-22 request for help or information UK changeset commented, reverted
2019-10-22 user dispute or no response UK advice given
2019-10-22* spam Singapore advice given, hiding of notes or comments
2019-10-22* poor mapping Finland advice given
2019-10-22* poor mapping Japan advice given
2019-10-22* international dispute Persian Gulf / Arabian Gulf advice given, map edited
2019-10-22 request for help or information Worldwide advice given
2019-10-22* poor mapping Russia block issued
2019-10-23* other
2019-10-23 misdirected complaint Turkey advice given
2019-10-24 misdirected complaint France advice given
2019-10-24 3rd party complaint about data Germany map edited
2019-10-24 poor mapping USA block issued
2019-10-25 poor mapping Russia block issued, reverted
2019-10-25 misdirected complaint USA no action needed
2019-10-25 user dispute or no response Bosnia changeset commented
2019-10-25 user dispute or no response Taiwan advice given
2019-10-27 user dispute or no response Germany no action needed
2019-10-28 request for help or information n/a advice given
2019-10-28* other
2019-10-28* other
2019-10-29* other
2019-10-29* other
2019-10-29* other
2019-10-29 user dispute or no response Panama advice given
2019-10-29 copyright USA advice given
2019-10-29 poor mapping Ukraine block issued
2019-10-30 poor mapping Syria map edited
2019-10-31 user dispute or no response Singapore advice given, block issued, changeset commented
2019-10-31* poor mapping Russia no action needed
2019-11-01 poor mapping China block issued
2019-11-01* other
2019-11-01 vandalism Australia advice given, block issued, map edited, reverted
2019-11-01* other
2019-11-01* user dispute or no response USA advice given, community contacted, hiding of notes or comments
2019-11-01* user dispute or no response USA advice given
2019-11-01* poor mapping Aruba advice given
2019-11-01* poor mapping Mexico block issued, changeset commented
2019-11-01 poor mapping India advice given, block issued, changeset commented
2019-11-01 poor mapping Worldwide advice given, block issued, changeset commented, reverted
2019-11-01* international dispute South China Sea hiding of notes or comments
2019-11-02* spam Australia block issued
2019-11-02* poor mapping Iraq advice given
2019-11-02* poor mapping Portugal block issued
2019-11-02* poor mapping India advice given
2019-11-02* poor mapping Portugal advice given
2019-11-02* poor mapping Poland block issued
2019-11-02* user dispute or no response Japan advice given, block issued
2019-11-02* poor mapping Nicaragua advice given, block issued
2019-11-02* poor mapping Italy advice given
2019-11-02 policy violation USA advice given, changeset commented
2019-11-04* other Kazakhstan no action needed
2019-11-04 copyright Kazakhstan redacted
2019-11-04 request for help or information France advice given
2019-11-04 policy violation USA advice given, changeset commented
2019-11-04 vandalism USA block issued, reverted
2019-11-04 other
2019-11-04 misdirected complaint USA advice given
2019-11-05* other
2019-11-05 3rd party complaint about data Germany map edited
2019-11-05 privacy issue Russia redacted
2019-11-05 copyright Russia block issued, redacted
2019-11-05 misdirected complaint United Kingdom advice given
2019-11-05 misdirected complaint USA advice given
2019-11-06 poor mapping Russia block issued
2019-11-07* user dispute or no response Russia no action needed
2019-11-07 other
2019-11-07 spam USA advice given
2019-11-07 poor mapping Europe no action needed
2019-11-08 request for help or information Unknown advice given
2019-11-08* other
2019-11-08 request for help or information France hiding of notes or comments
2019-11-09 request for help or information Austria advice given
2019-11-09* user dispute or no response Ukraine block issued
2019-11-10 request for help or information USA advice given
2019-11-10 user dispute or no response
2019-11-11 3rd party complaint about data France advice given
2019-11-11 request for help or information n/a advice given
2019-11-12 policy violation USA reverted
2019-11-12* vandalism USA advice given
2019-11-12* poor mapping Saudi Arabia advice given, hiding of notes or comments
2019-11-12* poor mapping Saudi Arabia advice given
2019-11-12* poor mapping Morocco advice given
2019-11-12* poor mapping Thailand advice given
2019-11-12* user dispute or no response USA advice given
2019-11-12* poor mapping Ukraine advice given
2019-11-12* poor mapping Iran advice given
2019-11-12* user dispute or no response Worldwide changeset commented
2019-11-12* poor mapping France advice given
2019-11-12* user dispute or no response Germany block issued
2019-11-12* poor mapping France advice given
2019-11-13* other
2019-11-14 international dispute Georgia block issued
2019-11-14 other
2019-11-14* poor mapping France advice given
2019-11-15 other
2019-11-15 other
2019-11-16 request for help or information Belgium no action needed
2019-11-17 poor mapping Russia block issued, reverted
2019-11-17 other
2019-11-17* policy violation Spain advice given, block issued
2019-11-17* vandalism Chile advice given
2019-11-17* user dispute or no response Spain advice given, map edited
2019-11-17* poor mapping Turkey advice given
2019-11-17* policy violation Panama advice given
2019-11-17* spam Ukraine advice given, block issued, reverted
2019-11-17 user dispute or no response USA advice given, changeset commented
2019-11-17* vandalism Worldwide advice given, reverted
2019-11-17* vandalism Switzerland reverted
2019-11-17* vandalism Argentina block issued
2019-11-17* request for help or information Taiwan advice given
2019-11-17 user dispute or no response USA advice given, block issued
2019-11-17* vandalism Chile advice given
2019-11-17 spam USA block issued, reverted
2019-11-18* other Moldova advice given
2019-11-18* other
2019-11-19* other Ukraine advice given
2019-11-20* poor mapping USA advice given
2019-11-20* other
2019-11-20 user dispute or no response Bangladesh community contacted
2019-11-20 3rd party complaint about data United Kingdom map edited
2019-11-21 user dispute or no response French Polynesia map edited
2019-11-21* request for help or information France advice given
2019-11-21* policy violation USA block issued, changeset commented, reverted
2019-11-21* poor mapping Panama no action needed
2019-11-21* poor mapping USA advice given, reverted
2019-11-21* poor mapping Worldwide advice given, block issued, changeset commented, map edited, reverted
2019-11-22 user dispute or no response Poland advice given
2019-11-22 vandalism USA block issued
2019-11-22 3rd party complaint about data
2019-11-23 other
2019-11-23 request for help or information Germany map edited
2019-11-23 user dispute or no response Germany block issued
2019-11-23 poor mapping UK advice given, changeset commented
2019-11-23 international dispute Georgia block issued
2019-11-23 international dispute Ukraine no action needed
2019-11-24* other China advice given
2019-11-24 misdirected complaint Brazil advice given
2019-11-24 other n/a advice given
2019-11-25 other
2019-11-25* user dispute or no response Japan advice given
2019-11-26* poor mapping Chile advice given
2019-11-26* poor mapping Spain advice given
2019-11-26* vandalism USA advice given
2019-11-26 copyright Australia no action needed
2019-11-26 request for help or information n/a advice given
2019-11-26 user dispute or no response USA advice given
2019-11-26 spam USA/Canada block issued, reverted
2019-11-27 policy violation Worldwide advice given, changeset commented, reverted
2019-11-27 vandalism Iran no action needed
2019-11-28 request for help or information Germany advice given
2019-11-29 request for help or information Myanmar reverted
2019-11-29 misdirected complaint
2019-11-29 copyright Russia block issued, redacted
2019-11-29 user dispute or no response Russia block issued, redacted
2019-11-30 user dispute or no response Russia changeset commented, community contacted
2019-11-30 copyright Russia block issued, reverted
2019-11-30 request for help or information n/a advice given
2019-11-30 copyright Russia block issued
2019-12-01 copyright Russia block issued, redacted
2019-12-01 copyright Russia block issued, redacted
2019-12-01 request for help or information n/a no action needed
2019-12-01 poor mapping USA map edited
2019-12-02 vandalism USA advice given, block issued
2019-12-02 copyright Russia redacted
2019-12-02 copyright Russia block issued, redacted
2019-12-03 other
2019-12-03 poor mapping Russia block issued, reverted
2019-12-03 misdirected complaint USA advice given
2019-12-03 user dispute or no response Egypt hiding of notes or comments, other
2019-12-03 user dispute or no response Worldwide advice given, block issued, reverted
2019-12-04 request for help or information n/a advice given
2019-12-04 vandalism Hong Kong advice given, block issued, changeset commented, community contacted
2019-12-04 other
2019-12-04 3rd party complaint about data Canada no action needed
2019-12-05* user dispute or no response Poland advice given
2019-12-05 poor mapping Germany no action needed
2019-12-06 copyright Russia block issued, redacted
2019-12-06 request for help or information USA other
2019-12-06 poor mapping Indonesia advice given, block issued
2019-12-07 user dispute or no response Ukraine no action needed
2019-12-08 request for help or information n/a no action needed
2019-12-08 copyright Russia redacted
2019-12-08 request for help or information n/a no action needed
2019-12-10 request for help or information USA advice given, map edited
2019-12-10 other
2019-12-10* vandalism Switzerland reverted
2019-12-11 other Russia other
2019-12-11 poor mapping Singapore advice given, block issued
2019-12-11 poor mapping USA block issued
2019-12-11 vandalism Worldwide block issued
2019-12-11 privacy issue USA: Chicago advice given
2019-12-11* other Azerbaijan other
2019-12-11* other Azerbaijan no action needed
2019-12-11* other Azerbaijan no action needed
2019-12-11 other
2019-12-12* other Azerbaijan no action needed
2019-12-13 request for help or information Russia advice given
2019-12-13 copyright Russia block issued, changeset commented, redacted
2019-12-13 user dispute or no response Japan block issued
2019-12-14* spam Jordan advice given
2019-12-14 copyright Russia reverted
2019-12-14* request for help or information Iran advice given
2019-12-15* spam Czechy advice given
2019-12-15* vandalism Croatia reverted
2019-12-15* spam Italy advice given
2019-12-15* poor mapping Mexico advice given
2019-12-15* poor mapping Russia advice given
2019-12-15* spam Jordan advice given
2019-12-15* vandalism Turkey advice given
2019-12-16* vandalism Russia block issued, reverted
2019-12-16 request for help or information Belgium map edited
2019-12-17* other
2019-12-18 request for help or information Korea reverted
2019-12-18* other
2019-12-19 other
2019-12-20* request for help or information Germany advice given
2019-12-20* poor mapping USA advice given
2019-12-20* poor mapping Italy advice given
2019-12-20* vandalism Indonesia advice given, block issued
2019-12-20* poor mapping Czechy advice given
2019-12-20 user dispute or no response Germany changeset commented
2019-12-20* poor mapping Brazil advice given
2019-12-20* poor mapping USA advice given, changeset commented
2019-12-20* user dispute or no response Germany advice given
2019-12-20* poor mapping Denmark changeset commented
2019-12-20* user dispute or no response Russia reverted
2019-12-20* user dispute or no response Russia changeset commented
2019-12-21* other
2019-12-21 request for help or information France advice given
2019-12-21* other
2019-12-22 poor mapping Russia no action needed
2019-12-22 poor mapping Russia no action needed
2019-12-24 misdirected complaint USA advice given
2019-12-24* poor mapping Iran advice given
2019-12-24* poor mapping Tunisia advice given
2019-12-24* vandalism Philippines advice given, changeset commented
2019-12-24* poor mapping Colombia advice given
2019-12-24 poor mapping UK advice given, block issued, changeset commented
2019-12-25* poor mapping Russia changeset commented
2019-12-25* poor mapping Russia changeset commented
2019-12-29 poor mapping Russia block issued, reverted
2019-12-30* user dispute or no response UK advice given
2019-12-30* poor mapping Nicaragua advice given
2019-12-30 poor mapping Worldwide block issued
2019-12-30 misdirected complaint USA advice given
2019-12-30 vandalism Poland block issued, changeset commented, reverted
2019-12-31 user dispute or no response Russia advice given, block issued

* an asterisk behind the date marks tickets that were created from web site "issues".