I would add operator to many (or all?) shops

[jajajaneeneenee]

This should be a suggestion ...

I cannot recognize any rule why some shops have an operator element and some not. Quite often, the reference name_oh_wheelchair_level is set (without operator), but quite often also name_operator_oh_wheelchair_level.

I would make it more consistent, and think a operator information could be useful for nearly every kind of shop – or cannot be bad. IMO, I would add it to all shops where it's missing. In v1.14.0, these are (hope I did not forget some):

supermarket, convenience, general, kiosk, bakery, butcher, seafood, deli, pastry, confectionery, chocolate, tea, coffee, herbalist, greengrocer, farm, water, alcohol, beverages, wine, cannabis, nutrition_supplements, health_food, spices, clothes, shoe_repair, bag, outdoor, dry_cleaning, laundry, tailor, computer, electronics, hifi, video, video_games, music, radiotechnics, bed, carpet, bathroom_furnishing, interior_decoration, antiques, books, newsagent, anime, stationery, perfumery, cosmetics, chemist, sports, water_sports, fishing, hunting, scuba_diving, sewing, baby_goods, florist, hairdresser_supply, wholesale, gas, second_hand, charity, travel_agency, toys, games, watches, leather, ticket, pet_grooming, photo, security, funeral_directors, religion, storage_rental, weapons, pyrotechnics

So I would set either
<reference ref="name_operator_oh_wheelchair_level"/> or
<reference ref="name_brand_operator_oh_wheelchair_level"/> or
<reference ref="name_operator_oh_wheelchair_level_toilets"/> or another ...

[matkoniecz]

I would rather remove it everywhere.

Tagging operator is rarely useful or easy.

[jajajaneeneenee]

I would rather remove it everywhere.

Tagging operator is rarely useful or easy.

You comment is not very useful ... at least you should add some reasons, why something is not useful. Generally, "usefulness" is a bad criterion I think. You could perhaps "kill" many keys in OpenStreetMap with this (pseudo) argument. What seems to be useless for one person may be very useful for another. A little phantasy could help perhaps ... but you don't need very much of it in this case, I think.

It's surely not a must-have key for EVERY shop, but it can be quite useful sometimes. I could at once give some examples, where it is also easy to add it ... Should I really do this? I thought this wouldn't be necessary. Here are some spontaneous ideas:

• Specially small shops are often identified more with the name of the owner (= operator) than the name of the shop (for some clients) ... So they could enter this name if they do a quick search for the shop (to look for opening hours or something else?).
• Or the opposite example: old small shops sometimes keep the name of a former owner, because it's well known under this name. But a new owner leads the shops now, and it could be interesting for old clients who it is ... Generally speaking: the name of a shop suggests an owner, but in reality it's another owner (operator).
• Many shops show the name of the operator on a sign or sticker at the entrance, often under the opening hours. So it's often very easy to add it. So if it's written there, why not adding it? If it's not easy, there is no urgent need to find it out. Just leave it out.
• Or another case: someone (or a company) owns a lot of shops in a town under very different names, and you want to know which shops belong to him/her/it. Nice, if someone added the operator at every shop ...
• Or another example: in my town, recently the well known owner of the oldest pub in town died – and it was unclear, if it would reopen with a new owner (and it did with another very well know gastronome of the town). And the name of the pub didn't change of course (it doesn't contain the name of the owner). The only change (but in this case VERY important!) was the operator. The same could happen with a shop.

It would be no problem to continue the list, also for larger shops or franchise shops. And last but not least it was also a question of consistency why I wrote this issue. It can be confusing if there is the key at one shop preset and it is missing at another one (it was confusing for me and I missed it with some shop types). It wouldn't hurt to add it, I think (perhaps as an optional key) and COULD be quite useful in a lot of cases/scenarios.

[matkoniecz]

. Generally, "usefulness" is a bad criterion I think. You could perhaps "kill" many keys in OpenStreetMap with this (pseudo) argument.

I am not interested in killing this tag, I am again promoting it in such way.

You comment is not very useful ... at least you should add some reasons, why something is not useful.

By default things are not useful, some explanation is needed to explain why it would be useful

Many shops show the name of the operator on a sign or sticker at the entrance, often under the opening hours.

That depends on region, is extremely rare in Poland and in many cases it is an outdated historic sign or kept for promotional purposes, recording it as operator would be wrong.

you want to know which shops belong to him/her/it

That is a different thing: operator and owner is not the same.

So they could enter this name if they do a quick search for the shop

I guess that it depends on region, in my area it would be either in shop name or irrelevant

[jajajaneeneenee]

By default things are not useful, some explanation is needed to explain why it would be useful

A strange point of view (sounds a little nihilistic …. should perhaps be discussed in a philosophy forum) ... Where can I find this "rule" regarding keys in OpenStreetMap?

That is a different thing: operator and owner is not the same.

I many cases it's the same IMO. Specially for small shops.

That depends on region, is extremely rare in Poland and in many cases it is an outdated historic sign or kept for promotional purposes, recording it as operator would be wrong.

Yes, I can image that it's quite different in different countries/regions. Here I really see it very often. And in which cases exactly would it be wrong to record it as operator if an information about the operator is written at the entrance?

Anyway, I can still see no arguments why it should be removed everywhere and not added where it's missing for consitency among the shop items.

[matkoniecz]

A strange point of view (sounds a little nihilistic …. should perhaps be discussed in a philosophy forum) ... Where can I find this "rule" regarding keys in OpenStreetMap?

It is an editor usability issue. One may invent tags and map width and height and colour of sign of shop and colour and material as floor.

And size and arrangement and colour of paving stones.

It does not make useful to list such tags in editor and encourage mappers to tag it.