Add rendering for information=stele

[AragonChristopherR17Z]

Expected behavior

Other similar information= objects such as information=board, information=terminal, information=map, and information=guidepost are rendered in the map.

Actual behavior

Currently, information=stele is not rendered in the map, despite having 1510 uses, most of which (1474) are nodes, according to taginfo. This is lower than the other information= objects; however, this could be because it does not appear as a suggestion when searching for tags to add to nodes on OSM as well as the fact that it is not rendered. This feature is also rendered by other maps as noted in the talk page for the tag.

Links illustrating the problem

Here I'll provide a link to a node that is not rendered in OSM which was used as an example by Pyrog in the Wiki Talk page. Example. VS I think it could be a good idea to render it in a similar way to information=terminal as these features have a similar shape in real life; I'd probably modify it slightly and remove the bottom margin to prevent steles from being interpreted as terminals.

[imagico]

Thanks for the suggestion.

Tag has ~1500 uses, 1100 of this in Russia, 200 in Germany, 200 in the rest of the world. Documentation on the wiki is very sparse and self referential (i.e. language specific) with no meaningful delineation towards other tags.

I am not opposed to rendering this in principle, but so far there is not even enough information on what mappers who invented the tag intend it to be used for to check if it is consistently used for that purpose. Global distribution indicates there are likely different regional practices here.

This feature is also rendered by other maps as noted in the talk page for the tag.

I am pretty sure most of these maps render generically tourism=information, not specifically information=stele. We deliberately stopped rendering tourism=information universally some time ago (#4420).

[AragonChristopherR17Z]

Tag has ~1500 uses, 1100 of this in Russia, 200 in Germany, 200 in the rest of the world. Documentation on the wiki is very sparse and self referential (i.e. language specific) with no meaningful delineation towards other tags.

I am not opposed to rendering this in principle, but so far there is not even enough information on what mappers who invented the tag intend it to be used for to check if it is consistently used for that purpose. Global distribution indicates there are likely different regional practices here.

The Wiki description is pretty simplistic and does allow for a vague interpretation. I went ahead and looked for different instances of this tag and noticed some interesting things: In the instances I found in Russia, the tag was used for monument-like structures, usually but not always taller than they are wide, and were usually a kind of welcome monument with a localities' name. Outside of Russia, the tag is generally used for what is depicted in the Wiki, a tall board with information about a place, directions to other amenities, and sometimes maps. This was generally the case of what I found in Germany, Poland, the UK, and France, with few exceptions where it is used on stones with inscriptions, information plaques on stone, and what I think is actually a water level measuring stick. In Japan, where there are only a handful of instances, this tag was used for a tall information post, but also for a large stone block with etched inscriptions and in one case what would more accurately be an information board. In the US, the use is generally the same as in central Europe, with exceptions being cases where an information board tag may or may not be more appropriate as well as some cases similar to Russia where it was used for a locality sign. In South America, there were cases where it was used for tall welcome signs to a locality and a park.

Basically, the problem with the tag is that there's overlap with welcome signs, regular information boards, and (probably because a stele implies a stone structure) plaques or inscriptions on stones; but, they are still generally used, except for in Russia apparently, to denote a tall structure which functions as a type of information board with place names, directions, amenities, maps, etc. There should be an effort to differentiate it from welcome signs, monuments, and plaques which would help to give this tag a more concrete meaning/purpose.

[imagico]

Thanks for the additional analysis on practical use of the tag.

they are still generally used, except for in Russia apparently, to denote a tall structure which functions as a type of information board with place names, directions, amenities, maps, etc.

It seems general consensus among mappers that information=board is largely defined functionally and not through the physical design of the supporting structure. So information=stele, according to what you write, would be an attempt to separate out parts of the scope of information=board to a different tag based on physical design. That is certainly a valid idea (though personally it would seem to make more sense to use a secondary tag for that - something like board_shape in analogy to board_type for example) - but so far it seems there is no consensus among mappers among such a separation - neither in principle nor how to verifiably distinguish between the two tags.

So i am closing this for the moment - feel welcome to point out if adoption of this by mappers substantially changes, then we can revisit the matter.