[OSGeo-Conf] Re: [FOSS4G2007] Conference Topics

[Paul Ramsey]

Well, "who are we trying to attract" is a question that gets you 
different answers from different people. As a "vendor", my answer is 
"people with money".

Given our starting point as a very developer-oriented conference though, 
the "OSCON model" seems like the best fit -- provide a welcoming venue 
for opinion-leading geeks, and leading-edge decision makers will follow. 
  I don't think we can make an event that appeals to the classic "IT 
conservative" without removing many of the things that makes the event 
appealing to our existing core demographic.

Start with yourself -- who do *you* want to attract?

Jason Birch wrote:
> "All your base"?
> 
> I guess the question is:  who are we trying to attract?
> 
> There are several key points around open source software:
> 
> - Large parts of geospatial are no longer differentiating software.  We
> need to convince companies that they can get the same business advantage
> at lower cost by going with open source software.
> 
> - Open source geospatial is all about interoperability.  We _know_ that,
> but it's not something that is sold enough.  Using open source software
> gives you a direct benefit in increasing the agility and transparency of
> your operations.
> 
> - You can make money with open source (can't you Paul?)  It's hard, just
> like running a proprietary company is, but there are several models out
> there for doing so.
> 
> I'm sure that there are others.  How do we shape these important
> business-attracting factors into our message/themes?
> 
> BTW, I'd cut the following sentence from the main page as a first step:
> "No other event brings together members of the open source development,
> open data creation, and open standards promotion communities like FOSS4G
> -- it is truly a "meeting of the tribes". "  The developers know the
> value of this conference.  We need to sell it to the "others".
> 
> Jason
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: foss4g2007-bounces at lists.refractions.net
> [mailto:foss4g2007-bounces at lists.refractions.net] On Behalf Of Paul
> Ramsey
> Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2007 14:08
> To: Organizing for FOSS4G2007
> Subject: [FOSS4G2007] Conference Topics
> 
> 
> I talked briefly with a representative from a large corporation I would
> like to have sponsor, and she asked me what the topics or themes for the
> conference this year were, to which I had to reply "errrrr" and
> "hrmmmm".  She further honed her question by noting that last year had
> seemed very "developer focused", which I find hard to disagree with.
> 
> What would your one-sentence conference theme be?
> 
> Mine would be:  "Get real."
> 


-- 

   Paul Ramsey
   Refractions Research
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   pramsey at refractions.net
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   Cell: 250-885-0632