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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>From <a
href="http://www.foss4g2006.org/">http://www.foss4g2006.org/</a> home page: <br>
<br>
FOSS4G2006</span></font></b> is a four day conference, bringing together all
the Free and Open Source Software for Geoinformatics (FOSS4G) communities. The
conference incorporates the OSGIS Conference, Mapserver User Meeting, GRASS
Users Conference, Java oriented FOSS4G and EOGEO Workshops. <st1:City w:st="on">Lausanne</st1:City>,
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Switzerland</st1:country-region> will host the
conference, making it the first time many of these groups will meet in <st1:place
w:st="on">Europe</st1:place>. It builds on the the success of the Open Source
Geospatial'05 conference held in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Minneapolis</st1:City>,
<st1:country-region w:st="on">USA</st1:country-region></st1:place>.<br>
<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>What will be covered?</span></b> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p style='text-align:justify'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>The conference focuses on an array of open source
technologies and presents how they are being used around the world. Seminars
and workshops will share the theme of advancing open source GIS technology, by
covering management and technical aspects as well as the latest trends.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p style='text-align:justify'><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>How will it run?</span></font></b> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The event
opens with one day dedicated to workshops, followed by a joint plenary session
that will set the direction of the conference. An Exhibitor showcase will run
the duration of the conference. This showcase will provide government,
academia, private organisations and associations with the opportunity to
demonstrate their talents and educate participants about open source
technologies. There will be an opportunity to mingle at evening events such as
the "Meet & Greet Exhibitors" Reception and a Boat Cruise on <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Geneva</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Lake</st1:PlaceType>,
with a dinner in the thousand year old <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Chillon</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Castle</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>Who will be there?</span></font></b> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>This
conference is an exciting opportunity for both users and managers to network,
learn about products and services, and develop both technical and management
skills for adopting open source technologies. The event is expected to draw
over 500 people from around the globe, representing the existing user and
developer communities as well as those interested from government,
non-government organisations, academia, and industry. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Finally,
with the recent creation of the <a href="https://www.osgeo.org/" target="_blank">Open
Source Geospatial Foundation</a>, FOSS4G2006 will be an exciting opportunity to
network with foundation members and projects. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Note from Markus Neteler: </span></font><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span lang=EN-ZA style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Courier New"'>the deadline for submissions for the FOSS4G conference is July
15th. There is a "[SDI] Free Open Geospatial Data" track that still
does not have any papers submitted for it.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma'>Gavin Fleming MSc<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma'>Sustainable Development Researcher<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma'>Mintek <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma'>w: +27-11-709-4668<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma'>c: 0845965680<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma'>f: 0866164820</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:7.5pt;
font-family:Tahoma'>xmpp (Jabber, Google Talk, etc.): </span></font><font
size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'><a
href="mailto:gavinjfleming@gmail.com"><font size=1><span style='font-size:7.5pt'>gavinjfleming@gmail.com</span></font></a></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma'>postal: P/Bag X3015, Randburg, 2125<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p style='margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span
lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>physical: <st1:Street
w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">200 Hans Strijdom Drive</st1:address></st1:Street>,
Randburg<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><font
size=2 face=Tahoma><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>South
Africa</span></font></st1:place></st1:country-region><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><font size=3 face=Tahoma><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma'>27.9782E 26.0896S<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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