add Taiwan overpass server as an alternative [is it OK to use it without explicit permission from silent owner?]

[matkoniecz]

according to my research (I tried in multiple channels, I got a reply in the Telegram group ) there is no usage limit over standard quota limitations
and for usage that is directly improving OSM and especially one that should have insignificant number queries it should be perfectly fine

If anyone knows about usage policy that restricts usage more than quota system does - please, comment here (or in a new issue once that PR is closed)

---

My work on this pull request was sponsored by a NGI Zero Discovery grant

[westnordost]

Did you contact the administrator of the instance? The question is also if it meets other requirements such as actuality, world-wide-coverage etc.

[matkoniecz]

Did you contact the administrator of the instance?

I tried using Telegram, Facebook, Github, IRC as advised at https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Overpass_API#Public_Overpass_API_instances . So far all I got was reply on Telegram channel from somebody claiming that probably there is no usage policy and that maybe http://free.nchc.org.tw/pmwiki/index.php?n=FSLab.Contact will know more.

I am usnsure about mailing people on http://free.nchc.org.tw/pmwiki/index.php?n=FSLab.Contact list - I worry that I may start badgering people that allowed someone to host some OSM services and I will discourage them from continuing.

I now noticed contact form at https://osm.tw/contact/ - I used it.

I decided to add it here without explicit permission from administrator as I expect that usage will be quite low. Also, given that it directly improves OSM and I point of public Overpass instance is that it will be used and SC has readable user agent I expect that it should be fine to use it.

The question is also if it meets other requirements such as actuality, world-wide-coverage etc.

According to my tests and #1389 and https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Overpass_API#Public_Overpass_API_instances it is fine.

[matkoniecz]

Nothing new in Telegram group, FB messages and in other channels that used.

Also, nobody responded to OsmHackTW/osmtw-ghpage#5 or OsmHackTW/osmtw-ghpage#4

[westnordost]

Then I would not want to add it without explicit permission. There is also another reason to not add it if they are not responsive: It is a sign for that the instance is not well supported or may not be well supported in the future:

• may be stuck on an old version
• sync with OSM may be stuck or seriously lacking behind

[matkoniecz]

OK, in that case I am closing, deleting branch and posting patch in case they will answer in the future.

From fe01aca64e2580c8af0a46fdf8742eef25d3df76 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Mateusz Konieczny <[email protected]>
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2019 15:24:05 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] add Taiwan overpass server as an alternative

according to my research there is no usage limit over standard quota limitations
and for usage that is directly improving OSM and especially one that should have insignificant number queries it should be perfectly fine
---
 app/src/main/res/values/arrays.xml | 1 +
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)

diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/arrays.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/arrays.xml
index f0b5bb9e1..0bdae4f51 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/arrays.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/arrays.xml
@@ -27,5 +27,6 @@
     <string-array name="pref_overpass_url_select" translatable="false">
         <item>"https://overpass-api.de/api/"</item>
         <item>"https://overpass.kumi.systems/api/"</item>
+        <item>"https://overpass.nchc.org.tw/api/"</item>
     </string-array>
 </resources>

[assanges]

Sorry for the very late reply. The service is open to public according to our community Hackpad, however you'll be blocked if requesting a too short interval.
Hackpad in Trad. Chinese only

[westnordost]

however you'll be blocked if requesting a too short interval.

Ok, then the server is definitely not eligible because StreetComplete does just that until overpass responds that the quota ran out.
Thanks for the information!