[Board] 2012 FOSS4G Decision
Seven (aka Arnulf)
seven at arnulf.us
Thu Sep 15 13:18:58 PDT 2011
Jo,
it took me some time to digest your mail but I did not want to leave it
unanswered because you are making a few important points.
On 09/14/2011 02:49 PM, Jo Cook wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> I agree with Tim and Tyler. Furthermore, I don't think it's fair to
> conflate this decision with the decision not to support the code sprint.
Well, it all comes back to money in the end and we were not prepared to
back-up one event with 12k (with a known team and standing record of
success) but another event with several 100k and an - at least to me -
so far unknown team. I hope this is not unfair.
> Those of us that were unsure were not complaining about the money per
> se, but had a lack of knowledge of the financial implications, differing
> ideas about risk, and about whether the organisation should profit from
> helping out. This is a totally different issue, and to me (new, naive,
> uninformed)
Please accept my apologies if whatever I did or say makes you feel naive
or uniformed. It is quite the opposite, I have been involved with all of
this for long enough that I may well miss the wood for the trees. Please
continue to say whatever you have to say unimpeded by <irony>looming
important figures like me</irony>.
> objecting on the grounds that have been stated here looks
> like a total lack of confidence in the conference organising committee.
Well, I must admit that in my opinion the conference committee took a
decision that did not take any financial aspects into account. Maybe
this is the conference committee's job - but then it is the board's job
to make sure it does not kill OSGeo. This is why we have the board, I
guess.
> Are we really a global organisation, or do we just say that? So far,
> we've tiptoed around the English-speaking and European edges, whereas
> now we have a chance to be truly international. Are we really going to
> chicken out because of language barriers or because it's a long way to
> travel?
Haha, well, not me - I have been to all events so far and have no plan
of changing this. But if it is only me going there the event will for
sure be a loss. But quite a few people here in Denver did say that they
will probably not be able to come to Beijing.
> Finally, please don't have a lack of confidence in the board when this
> incarnation has only been around for a few weeks!
I apologize for being a blunt, impolite and rude barbarian German - it
is just one way of how I function. And sometimes it does help to get
things done. No harm intended.
Thanks,
Arnulf
> Thanks,
>
> Jo
>
> On 14 September 2011 21:36, Tim Sutton <tim at linfiniti.com
> <mailto:tim at linfiniti.com>> wrote:
>
> Hi
>
> (with apologies to anti-top-posters)
>
> As a bystander to the list and non board member I hope its ok to add
> my 2c to the discussion. I think Arnulf raises some interesting points
> but I do wonder if pure (or even predominantly) financial
> considerations should be the decider for where FOSS4G conferences get
> held.
>
> "To support the development of open source Geospatial Software, and
> promote its widespread use."[1]
>
> I am not sure if this is the current and final version of OSGEO's
> mission statement, but it is certainly the way I and many others
> perceive its role. I appreciate that money is probably the grease that
> keeps the cogs of the machine turning, but holding FOSS4G in disparate
> locations around the world certainly takes the organisation a long way
> to achieving its mission. My personal experience from the Cape Town
> FOSS4G is that it played a huge role in exposing (and prompting use
> of) FOSSGIS software to an audience that would otherwise still be
> oblivious to it. I suspect a conference in China would have a similar
> effect there and build strong interest and participation from a region
> which as you have pointed out probably could use some stimulus.
>
> Of course it doesn't help if holding the conference there sends OSGEO
> to the scrap yard, but if it can be done without breaking the bank, go
> for it!
>
> All the best
>
> Regards
>
> Tim
>
>
> [1]
> http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/OSGeo_Mission#What_the_Mission_Statement_looks_like_Today
>
>
> On Wed, Sep 14, 2011 at 10:06 PM, Tyler Mitchell
> <tmitchell at osgeo.org <mailto:tmitchell at osgeo.org>> wrote:
> > On 2011-09-14, at 6:42 AM, Seven (aka Arnulf) wrote:
> >
> >> Ideally this money comes
> >> right back with the conference - but we will have to back it up as a
> >> foundation with a vote - now!
> >
> > Arnulf,
> >
> > The financial discussions usually happen when the board approves
> > the final FOSS4G budget later on, right? Selecting the venue does
> not mean
> > approving the final budget, so there will be time for building in
> changes.
> > The vote only has to be a confirmation of the conference
> committee's bid selection.
> >
> > Regardless of our current financial situation (or the proposed
> expenditures),
> > I'm concerned to see financial commitments, new job positions,
> FOSS4G planning...
> > all being hastily mixed into this vote.
> >
> > Even though they are often fine ideas at the end of the day, this
> impulsive and
> > spontaneous approach to financial planning and decision making doesn't
> > help us plan for the future or to build a stable strategy.
> Ultimately, I think this
> > decision making approach is crippling to the organisation in the
> long run.
> >
> > I'm glad you will have a chance for (almost all of you) to iron
> out some of these
> > kinks later in the week.
> >
> > Tyler_______________________________________________
> > Board mailing list
> > Board at lists.osgeo.org <mailto:Board at lists.osgeo.org>
> > http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/board
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Tim Sutton - QGIS Project Steering Committee Member (Release Manager)
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> --
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