Automatically remove obvious descriptive names for viewpoints (obvious cases only, not all suspect objects)

General talk
1

There are object types where mappers relatively often add invalid name tag that repeats object type, and it is obvious enough that can be fixed remotely.

I was doing it with some objects, and in some cases it is often combined with very problematic tagging nearby (can link some queries if anyone wants).

But for some objects use of obvious descriptive names is quite popular, to the point that manual fixing cannot keep up AND it is possible to fix it with a bot edit AND other tagging is typically fine. Sometimes there are clusters of other objects with descriptive names, but these can be found independently.

And yes “Viewpoint” can be signed but it does not make it a name, like “Viewpoint, entry 5 euro” is not a name either. Or “Viewpoint, no wheelchair access”.

Note Is name=Toilet even theorethically valid for amenity=toilets? where it was discussed

I propose to run automated cleanup for viewpoints. It would remove name=viewpoint (and name=Viewpoint and name=VIEWPOINT) from objects tagged only as viewpoints.

Note that this relies on assumption that object tagged like

  • tourism=viewpoint
  • name=Viewpoint

is always case of misusing name tag.

Objects which carry unexpected tags or tags not typical for viewpoints, or note/fixme tags will be skipped. So for example

  • tourism=viewpoint
  • amenity=restaurant
  • name=Viewpoint

well not be touched. In theoretical case of restaurant named “Viewpoint” which is also viewpoint, such object will not be modified at all. So

  • tourism=viewpoint
  • waterway=waterfall
  • name=Viewpoint

or

  • tourism=viewpoint
  • name=Viewpoint
  • note=Actually named “Viewpoint”

would not be edited either.

(Though I do not expect last case to be ever validly tagged…)

Obviously objects with just

name=Viewpoint

would not be edited in this edit.

  • tourism=viewpoint
  • fee=yes
  • name=VIEWPOINT

would be edited. Similarly with other that are expected attributes of viewpoints.

Bot edit would be worldwide, with edits split in parts. Edits would be repeated in future.

Note: as required by automated edits code of conduct a bot proposal will be also posted on talk mailing list

Comments welcome - both if you see problems with this edit and if you support it (though upvoting also works I guess)

7 Likes
2

I edited many such object manually and not have seen any dubious cases.

Also, so far no one complained about this viewpoint edits. When people responded it turned out they thought that adding name tag is always needed, and it is needed also for not named viewpoints.

I am pretty sure that remaining cases can be fixed automatically.

3

May have mentioned it in the toilets thread, name=belvedere or Belvedere on tourism=viewpoint can go too, just a generic. Sometimes a brown sign, white text on pole says Belvedere, think though they’re just a tourist info rather than name.

Edit: Italy is loaded with them but you find these round the world, 966 cases per TagInfo by that name, albeit not filtered on secondary off tourism=viewpoint. There’s certainly restaurants and hotels going with that name.

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image994Ă—425 92.9 KB

4

If someone is aware of such language specific cases (“Punkt widokowy” on Polish is next potential one) then feel free to list them.

I can check is this equally clear and blatant case, consult with relevant local communities and propose it for editing in a next round.

If there is such name with <100 cases I would encourage to just edit it manually without mass edit or bot edits.

5

I would be quite careful about automatically changing such instances around the world: in English-speaking regions at least, Belvedere is a frequent place name. Moreover, I do not think most English speakers would even know it translates to “viewpoint”. So I would guess that most of the instances in such regions are valid proper names, even on tourism=viewpoint nodes.

Although in any case, from a brief inspection of your described overpass query, most of the nodes containing “Belvedere” shown in your map in e.g. the United States are other types of nodes (places, restaurants, bus stops, etc), not viewpoints.

2 Likes
6

I’ve noticed several viewpoints with “Lookout” as the name. I wonder if they should be given the same treatment? Viewpoint and lookout are synonyms, as far as I’m aware.

7

Maybe, but I do not fell 100% sure (I am not a native English speaker), so I think I will leave it to others. Though if someone is sure and it is popular and this proposal succeeds: feel free to make edit proposal (and if there is clear agreement I can even run bot edit itself).

1 Like
8

The German term is Aussichtspunkt. There are 93 cases in DE/AT/CH. We can handle them manually if you don’t want to bother.

9

Just quoting meself to emphasize that the map was not filtered down to viewpoints… only figured out how to filter on 1 tag only and then did elimination filters inside JOSM on the grand area I’m currently mapping… 1 case of Belvedere in Calascio, but special

image

The subscript says Teofilo Patini was a painter (1840-1906).
(Has a wikipedia page, not of him on wikidata, but some of his paintings certainly have a dedicated wikidata link and a pinacoteca dedicated to his works, and so we learn while doing a round robin map session adding the etymology tag on the go.)

10

A big wipe of obvious descriptive name tags would be most welcome.

I’ve seen a few cases where the descriptive name was copied onto the tags for specific languages, so it could be useful to check for name:en=Toilet etc as well.