[Board] FOSS4G 2013 Board Liaison

[Jeff McKenna]

Hi Daniel,

Thanks for this, I am happy to learn that SotM realizes the importance
of this 'continuity'.

I feel that was my exact role all those years with FOSS4G (think of all
the workshop guidance I did since 2004, or the Benchmarking work in the
recent years, or making sure a slot in the program exists for the Sol
Katz Award each year), those little important things that make the event
what it is.

It's exciting that SotM is in Tokyo this year!  How many attendees are
expected?

Maybe I should meet F2F with some of the organizers soon, I feel that
even though SotM may be a little newer, FOSS4G can learn from their
organization.  In fact yesterday I had a long chat with Venka, and we
are thinking of a F2F with Markus Neteler, Venka, and myself (who
initially thought of a unified 'FOSS4G' back in 2004) to discuss FOSS4G.

I wonder if FOSS4G needs to go "back to basics", away from the expensive
downtown conference centers, and back to the university
campuses/affordable venues.

Well nice to chat again Daniel, I hope to have a bento lunch with you in
Japan soon :)

Your friend from afar,

-jeff






On 12-07-04 4:27 AM, Daniel Kastl wrote:
> Hi Jeff and others,
> 
> This year I'm helping to organize SotM in Tokyo and I fully agree with
> what Jeff says.
> Every year there are people of the past years taking also a leading role
> for the next SotM conference, and this really helps a lot!
> The payment system is the same every year, the conference website is
> basically the same every year, blog posts and other documents of the
> past can be modified and reused. So the basic infrastructure and
> knowledge is there already. Without the knowledge and the contribution
> of those people, it would be really hard for the local volunteers to do
> it all themselves. Instead I feel organization is getting better with
> every conference.
> 
> The problem now with SotM organizers is, that there are lots of not so
> exciting (administrative) tasks. Jeff probably knows what I mean ;-)
> Especially those, who help every year, get tired of these tasks, and we
> thought it would be more than fair to pay someone doing this job for the
> next SotM.