[Board] So what is the purpose of OSGeo?

[Mark Lucas]

Sorry, couldn't ignore this one....

I'm really surprised and confused about some of the negative reaction  
to Paul Ramsey's proposal to provide training for OSGeo projects and  
solutions.

It is clearly a good thing in my mind.  We have several active members  
of the OSGeo projects proposing to spread the word and provide a much  
needed service.  They are offering to take the risk and provide both  
financial and advertising benefit to the OSGeo.

It is in our best interest to raise the bar for all OSGeo solutions -  
training is a much need part of that.  OSGeo needs to participate in  
these types of things to stay in the public eye and raise the  
financial resources to carry on its cause.

It is quite true that it is extremely difficult for many to justify  
travel outside their own countries to the agencies or organizations  
they work for.  It is naive to think that we are going to change that  
fact.  There is a customer need for OSGeo training all over the world  
- OSGeo should be encouraging a thousand flowers to bloom.  None of  
this happens for free.  Open source should not be confused with  
'free', it costs money and resources to do these things and we need to  
encourage all of the help we can get.

We should be putting our energy into positively encouraging our  
solutions and their promotions, raising more resources for OSGeo so we  
have the ability to help those in need.

Mark,
a has been board member ;-)