Loomio
Mon 27 Mar 2017 5:58PM

Website domain

R RobJN Public Seen by 480

We would like some feedback on website domains.

We have a choice between sticking with osmuk.org or moving to openstreetmap.co.uk. There are cases of both in the OSM universe. For example openstreetmap.fr, osm.be and mapanica.net .

Here are our thoughts on the pros of each. Keen to hear your thoughts too. Happy for someone to start a proposal.

openstreetmap.co.uk

  • Keeps openstreetmap in the URL (this is what most people probably google for)
  • Does not depend on people knowing the abbreviation OSM
  • Makes explicit that we are the UK based COmpany for openstreetmap
  • avoids the perception that we are separate from/not related to openstreetmap
  • being a .co.uk may reassure organisations that we want to work with, that we have a legal framework

osmuk.org

  • Represents what we are likely to call ourselves / already are calling ourselves (we can't stop people using the acronym).
  • Aligns with twitter (we have osmuk there)
  • Brings a bit of separation from all the openstreetmap DOT whatever sites:
    • We understand that they are all run by different groups but will the average Joe make the distinction?
    • Means our content is clearly separate from the other OSM content that we have no control over (e.g. the wiki, the "just a map" openstreetmap.org homepage)
    • Allows us to build a separate brand which may be more important in the UK given that OSM started here (so we risk people thinking .org and .co.uk are the same company).
  • It's an organisation about the UK. If people look for to openstreetmap(.co.uk/.com), they are likely to be looking for a map (that includes the UK) where as our homepage focus won't be a map.
  • Is short.
  • Does what it says on the tin - ie the "OSMUK" + "organisation".
RW

Robert Whittaker Wed 29 Mar 2017 10:14PM

My preference would be osmuk.org (shorter, and more obviously different from openstreetmap.org) followed by openstreetmap.org.uk (emphasising non-profit status) and then openstreetmap.co.uk

R

RobJN Wed 29 Mar 2017 10:14PM

My preference is for osmuk.org. It is short, aligns with our Twitter handle and is the abbreviation we are almost guaranteed to refer to ourselves as.

When describing ourselves I think:

"We are OSM UK - a company that supports OpenStreetMap in the UK - find us at osmuk.org and osmuk on Twitter"

Works well. My concern with OpenStreetMap.co.uk is that we loose the link with Twitter and we may loose people to OpenStreetMap.org or .com. We would spend ages explaining the brand:

"We are OpenStreetMap UK at OpenStreetMap.co.uk, but we don't do openstreetmap.org or wiki.openstreetmap and to contribute to openstreetmap in the UK go to openstreetmap.org not openstreetmap.co.uk"

Maybe I'm worrying / thinking too much here!

GMD

Gregory Marler (former Director) Tue 11 Apr 2017 12:50PM

My personal preference was osmuk.org, for most of the reasons given in the first post on this thread.

We need to make a decision, so how do we reach that?
I don't think this should need a full AGM/vote to make the decision. Is a loomio straw poll aceptable, or should it just be a vote of the directors(who vote on what they think the community want) and people trust that?

R

Poll Created Thu 20 Apr 2017 7:40PM

Let's stick with osmuk.org Closed Thu 27 Apr 2017 8:10PM

During the April Directors meeting we agreed to stick with osmuk.org. Do you agree?

Results

Results Option % of points Voters
Agree 75.0% 9 GMD R MW RW IC B PB DB PO
Abstain 0.0% 0  
Disagree 25.0% 3 DS B JH
Block 0.0% 0  
Undecided 0% 34 AB HW PB CS GR JM BZ AM JN SH BP SR CS DU YP GW L CL AH TW

12 of 46 people have participated (26%)

PB

Paul Berry
Agree
Fri 21 Apr 2017 7:49AM

It also aligns with the osm.org domain.

PO

Paul Oldham Thu 20 Apr 2017 9:11PM

If you were my customer I'd recommend you have osmuk.org, openstreetmap.org.uk, and openstreetmap.co.uk and then, assuming that you prefer osmuk.org, you redirect all traffic, be it email or web, to the .uk domains to osmuk.org.

B

blackadder Fri 21 Apr 2017 5:19PM

OSMUK.org works fine for me though I would like to see openstreetmap.co.uk point to the webserver too if that's agreeable to OSMF. In the short term I see no need to make a fuss about it, ultimately if both are available for use one can be promoted over the other.

R

RobJN Fri 21 Apr 2017 10:40PM

To to end user openstreetmap.co.uk would effectively redirect (assuming OSMF agree) to osmuk.org. When this closes we will ask the relevant OSMF group.