| 26 | 26 | When you upload geodata to the OSM server you have to tell the server who you are. The OSM server will '''identify''' every uploading mapper by asking for an OSM username. The OSM server furthermore needs to '''authenticate''' this identity, i.e. to reliably determine whether the mapper is indeed the claimed user. For this purpose, it asks for a password in addition to the username. The server's assumption is that whoever knows the secret password for username xyz is reliably authenticated to ''be'' xyz. A mapper logged in with an authenticated username and password is entitled to run a broad range of operations on the server. The mapper is '''authorised''' to upload data, to create changesets, to close changesets, to upload GPS traces, to read and changes personal preferences on the server, to invite others as friends, to send emails to other accounts, etc. Currently, it isn't possible to create an OSM account with an OSM username and a password with restricted rights, i.e. an account that would only be able to upload GPS traces, but not map data. Whoever has successfully '''authenticated''' with an OSM username and an OSM password is '''fully authorised''' to do everything an OSM user can normally do on the server. |
