Get a sneak peek at whats next for Permanent Hazards on our April 7th Office Hours!
Post by DwarfLord
Looking again at the proposed approach of changing the article, it looks like one of the primary goals is to change the "wrong" headings to "right" headings. For example, if the "Incorrect edits" article currently lists:

- Misplaced roundabouts
- Overlapping segments
- Corrupted turn restrictions
- Unnecessary road splitting
- etc.

The friendlier approach would list

- Correctly-placed roundabouts
- Proper use of adjacent segments
- Correct turn restrictions
- Appropriate road splitting
- etc.

Although I agree this is a friendlier approach, I feel pretty strongly that it sacrifices the clarity necessary for an article whose readers have arrived with one question: "tell me what I did wrong and why the editing community responded like it did". The main point of this article is to answer that question. Headings that talk about doing things right are great and appropriate in other articles in the wiki, but this is the one place I believe it's better to talk about doing things wrong.

It is fantastic that this could be a useful article for editors who haven't yet been asked to read it! But they are not the primary target audience. So I would propose to retain the negative headings.

[EDIT: Oops, crossed posts! Thanks again for the suggestions and understanding!]
DwarfLord
Wiki Master
Wiki Master
Posts: 2512
Has thanked: 1065 times
Been thanked: 1451 times
Send a message


Post by DwarfLord
Another editor recently added the following recommendation to the "incorrect edits" wiki article:
Tip: Editors are strongly encouraged to download & install the Waze Validator Plugin. This is a VERY helpful tool for identifying problems and even offers advice how to fix them.
On the whole I lean in favor of this new addition. But, I believe I've heard some senior editors murmur that beginners (the target audience for this article) may in fact be slightly more dangerous when armed with scripts -- even one as well done as Validator.

If anyone has concerns about this new addition please speak up. I'm inclined to leave the new language in place but would welcome perspectives.
DwarfLord
Wiki Master
Wiki Master
Posts: 2512
Has thanked: 1065 times
Been thanked: 1451 times
Send a message

Post by DwarfLord
Perhaps I will move and modify the tip somewhat to suggest Validator only as one becomes more comfortable with WME. It feels like overload for a brand-new editor to be told to install optional third-party scripts from day one...
DwarfLord
Wiki Master
Wiki Master
Posts: 2512
Has thanked: 1065 times
Been thanked: 1451 times
Send a message

Post by DwarfLord
OK, based on responses, and on my own feelings on the matter, I have moved the recently-added paragraph on Validator to a new section at the very end of the Incorrect Edits wiki article. This new section deals with scripts in general. The new section reads:
New section on scripts wrote:As you become more comfortable with the WME, you may wish to explore optional browser modifications, or scripts, developed by volunteers from the Waze editing community. You can edit the Waze map very successfully without ever adding a script to your browser! But once you understand WME's basic operation and can recognize and avoid the incorrect edits described in this article, you may find scripts can help you align junctions, validate your work, and detect potential problems more quickly.

When you are ready to explore scripts, visit Community Plugins, Extensions and Tools. In particular, you may find Waze Validator helpful for identifying problems, recommending solutions, and directing you to relevant documentation.
DwarfLord
Wiki Master
Wiki Master
Posts: 2512
Has thanked: 1065 times
Been thanked: 1451 times
Send a message

Post by DwarfLord
"Common editing mistakes" will redirect to this article. As the article focuses only on incorrect edits, I can't recommend renaming it something that doesn't convey that focus.

I wrote a long post thinking you objected to the content of the article being too harsh, but I see now you are only referring to the title.
DwarfLord
Wiki Master
Wiki Master
Posts: 2512
Has thanked: 1065 times
Been thanked: 1451 times
Send a message

Post by DwarfLord
MGODLEW wrote:I think too little importance is placed upon the value of WME Toolbox & Validator to new editors. These are tools every new editors should have...I think we should convey to editors that map editors are not required to use these plugins but that it is HIGHLY recommended to do so.
While several editors have expressed concern about urging third-party scripts on newcomers before they're ready, there's another more subtle pitfall with this: the reaction of the editor who receives the information.

While I can't speak for others, if the editing community told me that I could not edit effectively, even as a beginner, without extending Waze with third-party scripts, I would wonder if Waze must not be that good. What am I supposed to think, if it appears the editing community regards the base WME as inadequate? I would question the commitment of Waze to the editing community, and that would lead me to question how much commitment I wanted to put into Waze.

After all, Waze is a private/volunteer hybrid, not a completely open-source initiative. The private partner has to demonstrate commitment and responsiveness because without them the effort will disappear along with everybody's hard work. Good editors who are starting out are looking for those kinds of signals, I'm sure. Implying that they can't do good work unless they modify WME with third-party scripts would, I fear, come across as such a signal.
DwarfLord
Wiki Master
Wiki Master
Posts: 2512
Has thanked: 1065 times
Been thanked: 1451 times
Send a message

Post by DwarfLord
The Incorrect edits article has been expanded with a new section called The worst incorrect edit (that is, being unreachable by the community).

I've also added a couple of figures to the section on Trying too hard to match the satellite image.

Regarding scripts, I recognize the community is somewhat conflicted, and I am too. But I am comfortable with the mention located where it is, all the way at the end. Any editor with the dedication to read that far can probably handle scripts OK :D
kentsmith9 wrote:It might not be bad to help new editors find things to focus on, rather than adding unnecessary parking lot roads, changing freeway exits, etc., since so much of the obvious work as been completed in the major cities.
This topic goes deep, all the way to the scrappy-startup corporate culture of Waze that may not be adapting to the way its volunteer community has grown and matured. I'm not sure how well we can address it using just the wiki, but it is worth the effort. Thanks voludu2 for making this such a priority!

It's worth restating that the Incorrect-edits article deliberately takes a negative tone, basically, "please don't make these mistakes". I feel strongly that this tone has a place in a community wiki. In any community there are things that one must learn not to do, and it is much better for everyone if they are listed out in the open rather than letting people find out the hard way! At the same time, it must be balanced by other articles with a positive tone. I think our wiki accomplishes that, especially with the recent contributions by voludu2 and others.
DwarfLord
Wiki Master
Wiki Master
Posts: 2512
Has thanked: 1065 times
Been thanked: 1451 times
Send a message

Post by DwarfLord
The section of this wiki article on Closing URs without proper consideration now lists five specific breaches of UR etiquette. I think these are OK but would welcome review.

(Edit: reduced to four specific breaches, the fifth was overkill.)
DwarfLord
Wiki Master
Wiki Master
Posts: 2512
Has thanked: 1065 times
Been thanked: 1451 times
Send a message
Last edited by DwarfLord on Sat Jan 17, 2015 10:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Post by DwarfLord
Besides the aforementioned UR-related additions, I have also put in a small section under "Misunderstood principles" on "The tragedy of deletion and disconnection".

Thoughts welcome here as well.
DwarfLord
Wiki Master
Wiki Master
Posts: 2512
Has thanked: 1065 times
Been thanked: 1451 times
Send a message