How should POIs be corrected?
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      18 years
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POI Problems:
POI Verifier was originally born to correct the linebreak display problem on the nuvi 350/360; but the formatting of these POIs was so bad I couldn't get past first base. Since the POIs first had to be corrected, I eventually changed the program to do the correcting, then do the conversion.
I would beta-test each new version of POI Verifier by downloading and running at least 100 POIs. Usually once a week I would email Miss POI with a list of the bad POIs along with the error locations, and she would fix them. But there were so many, sometimes over 20 at a time, that it was faster for me to correct the files than to list all of the errors and have her take the time to do the correcting. So that's what was done. This I understand upset some folks. If so, I'm sorry.
If the formatting of these POIs had been checked before uploading, this post wouldn't be! Some files were so bad they wouldn't even load, some wouldn't work, others had incorrect coordinates and multiple duplicates.
So what do we do? Load up POI Factory with bunches of bad POIs for other users to find; or do we correct them when we find them? To ask Miss POI to notify the author of every bad POI, wait for the author to correct it (not knowing if they even got her email), regularly check the file to see if it's been updated, then make sure another error hasn't been injected in the process, and possibly have to eventually correct the file herself, is asking one h_ll of a lot from her. In fact, requiring her do this with so many bad files is near impossible.
One compromise would be to have her correct the files with a posting of 'updated on....' without the 'by ....', and send a copy of the corrected file to the original author....this way no one would know if the original author corrected the file or someone else. As I mentioned to her, "I don't need 'kudos' for this; in fact, it makes me feel uneasy and I would rather my name be left out of the chain". Getting the files corrected while keeping peace in the 'family' is much more important!
Your ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks.
RT
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I think that as a community we should be openly accepting of any and all help. It's the whole "it takes a village thing". I personally would not be upset in any way if you (or anyone else) corrected errors in files that I submitted. I would be grateful that you caught the errors and saved others from enduring any problems. And certainly if we as members of the community can take some of the workload off Miss POI and JM, all the better.
Obviously, in an ideal world, the files would have no errors when they were first uploaded, but for a variety of reasons, this isn't always the case. I would encourage ALL users to be receptive of input from other users as the goal is to get good information out there. Who gets credit has never been important to me.
Spreading out the workload amongst a bunch of people is what makes this site work. And as the site gets bigger, the workload will likely exponentially increase. I would think that it would be mind-numbing for Miss POI to try to be the only one to correct problems with the files.
Usually what I do if I find errors, is to contact the author of the file notifying them of the problem and, if necessary, offer to correct the problem. If there is no contact tab activated or I don't get a response from the author, then I would send the corrected file (or corrected information to Miss POI.
And thanks to you RT for creating a tool to easily correct some of these errors.
Just my two cents.
RT and MM, Thanks for all
RT and MM,
Thanks for all your continued support.
I have started to run files through the poi verifier before taking them out of queue, so that they are correct and able to be loaded.
I love this program and am so thankful that RT took the initiative to design it for us. It helps with quality control and cuts down on the frustration level for new and old users alike.
I do think that we need to make sure to clerify that we are talking here about POI Files that have to be corrected in order to work verses just making improvements to a file that is just fine.
If I find a file that is not working, I am going to make corrections to it and not worry about contacting the original author. As a business woman I have to produce a good product, whether I am charging for it or not. I would not want this site to get a reputation of having bad POI Files that you can't load onto your unit.
This is a community effort, like MM said, it takes a village.
Sincerely,
Miss Poi
Any community effort
Any community effort requires a moderator or nothing would get done. Look at all the successful open source projects (Linux, Firefox, php, perl etc) and you will see the license permits modification, but the owner (moderator) must approve it. Otherwise a new project is forked! POIs are not as complicated as computer code development, but just the shear number (millions) requires some thought for management and ownership.
You don't need a lawyer, but I suggest you review open source licenses. Also you should be considering what to do for commercial use. I see you have a copyright agent so maybe you could shed some light on your copyright.
For details on Open Source Licenses See http://www.opensource.org/docs/osd
For example the BSD license allows commercial use requiring only a mention of the owner in the documentation. The GPL does not permit any reuse in non-GPL software what so ever!
Finally this is a community project and I feel anyone who has uploaded POIs with out a license (myself included) has given you "free" (as in freedom) intellectual property. I hope you use your power intelligently.
eTrex Touch 35, Nuvi 1350LMT, Nuvi 350, Nuvi 260, Garmin GPS III, Basecamp
I also agree
After making those POIs, I use the verifier to also make sure the files are good. When I run it, I do find a lot of errors the 1st time, Most of it is typing errors and such. Also once I had the LONG. and LAT wrong. That program saved me.
Also I had created those POI files that you see here but once they get uploaded, then they are for everyone.
I dont mind if someone fixes them if there is a problem. In fact I would rather have it that way. I wouldnt like to download a poi to find its all messed up.
Guys, Keep up the great work and just post a faq about uploading POI and what can be done with them..
Bobkz - Garmin Nuvi 3597LMTHD/2455LMT/C530/C580- "Pain Is Fear Leaving The Body - Semper Fidelis"