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[PAGE UPDATE] Places - Place details (categorization)

Post by DwarfLord
A recent enlightening discussion helped focus my understanding on how best to choose categories for Places. I would like to offer this understanding under the General tab section of the Places article, after the introduction to the General tab but just before "External Providers".
Proposed new Categories subsection wrote:Categories

When editing Places, the editor begins with the Place and searches for the category. Drivers, however, will begin with the category and search for the Place. This simple but profound difference in approach makes it essential to select only categories that closely match the destination. If a category only vaguely or generally matches the destination, do not use it; instead apply the umbrella supercategory, or the Other category.

For example, consider a Wazer who needs to refuel a vehicle or tank with compressed natural gas (CNG). Categories that come close are Gas Station and Hardware Store. As an editor, one might assign Gas Station to a CNG fueling location as this seems to come the closest; but this would be a mistake. Car Services, Shopping / Services, or just Other would be more correct. Why? Consider the Wazer's perspective.

A Wazer needing a CNG refueling site is highly unlikely to search for it under Gas Station, and if such a search were attempted, irrelevant results would outnumber useful ones by a vast margin. The Wazer will quickly realize that a text search for "CNG" will be more productive. Categorizing the location as a Gas Station would have provided no benefit. Meanwhile, Wazers searching for a gasoline refueling location would be offered CNG destinations, and worse, they may not realize this until they arrive at the CNG fueling site and discover it does not sell gasoline.

Thus, when choosing categories for a Place, do not ask "what category comes closest?" but rather "if a Wazer explicitly asks for this category, will this Place be representative of what they seek?"
I hope this principle meets with general agreement, the clarification seems useful, and the wording sounds OK. Thanks for any thoughts.
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Post by DwarfLord
As support appears unanimous for the above update regarding choosing categories for Places, I'm planning to make it live tomorrow (Sunday). We can always discuss wordsmithing, but if there are any concerns about the foundational notion behind the proposed text -- that a category should be used only if it's a close match -- speak now...
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Post by DwarfLord
The proposal is now live, with some wordsmithing to accentuate the guidance. Thanks to all who supported this update.

https://wazeopedia.waze.com/wiki/USA/Places#Categories
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