[OSGeo-Conf] [Board] Fwd: Analysing the downfall of FOSS4G 2011

[Cameron Shorter]

Feedback from Barend, forwarded with his permission...

On 14/08/2012 5:46 PM, Barend Köbben wrote:
> Hi Cameron,
>
> Good initiative! Trying to learn from our mistakes is always a good idea.
>
> And although I am not in the conference committee nor the Board I feel the
> need to highlight one mistake that sort of threatens to be repeated:
> There are and always will be 'competing events'. No need to feel
> threatened by that, but in my opinion also no need to pick one of them as
> being a special one to be nursed and helped financially, just because it
> happens to be a very good and professional one. Im an talking of course
> one FOSS4GNA. I my opinion the ease with which the board seems to be
> willing to financially garantuee this conference is puzzling. If you
> support that local event to that extent, how can you say no to others like
> that (FOSS4G CEE, FOSGIS DE, etcetera). All fine, but where do you stop
> then...?
>
> And one thing I seem to miss:
> Under communication  and /or decision making, I miss an item. I got
> involved rather late (in the Academic Chair thing) , but at that stage
> there seemed to be no or little links or communication between the  LOC
> and the OSGEO board. I have been involved in a similar setup (ICA, the
> International Cartographic Association and its two-yearly conference ICC),
> and I know they have a rather strict scenario, with agreements to sign and
> a time table of deadlines. And, yes indeed, at least one liaison from the
> board that has some decision powers and clout...
>
>
>
> Yours,
>
> --
> Barend Köbben
> Senior Lecturer, ITC - University of Twente,
> Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation
> PO Box 217, 7500AE Enschede (The Netherlands)
> +31-(0)53 4874 253
>
>

-- 
Cameron Shorter
Geospatial Solutions Manager
Tel: +61 (0)2 8570 5050
Mob: +61 (0)419 142 254

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