[OSGeo-Discuss] any suggestion of GIS magazine?

Jeff Thurston thurston at t-online.de
Wed Feb 21 01:22:42 PST 2007 

Hi folks,

Thank all of you for your responses.

Michael, it looks like this is shaping up to where you become the 
'point person'. This helps because I will need one person as the 
contact source to keep everything 'on the same page' so to speak. 
That means I will interact with you as OSGeo rep for the column ok?

To answer a few questions and add some useful points:

1) A column in our magazine is 1 page in length. An example is here 
http://www.geoconnexion.com/uploads/kevinpomfret_intv6i1.pdf
Total number of words is about 800. It can be less but not more. If 
you wish to add an image, then shoot for around 600 words.  Try to 
include the writer's pic at 300 dpi and their affiliation and email - 
this lets readers identify with the person writing and provides a 
point of contact.

2) Images are a big issue for hardcopy print, especially computer 
images because they are only 72 dpi usually. Print quality is 300 
dpi. That means 300 pixels per square inch for the print process. 
Most screen captures are reduced to 1/5th their original size when 
printed - usually causing us to throw them out because they represent 
the content poorly. Stretching a 72 dpi image to resize it means one 
still ends up with a 72 dpi image, only bigger. Please aim for 300 
dpi if submitting images.

3) Content - My policy is to support expression. Someone writes it, 
I'll support it. I only edit for spelling, grammar and what I 
consider to be outright libelous. The writer should stand behind 
their expression. As I mentioned earlier, I am not a programmer. I 
need your help to peer review programming content (which is why the 
'contact point' ) will work well. Ultimately everything in the column 
will reflect on OSGeo. It's your column, you choose the content. Our 
Media Pack describes Themes for issues by edition throughout the 
year. I use these as a guidline.

4) Reprint - I am a supporter of the creator maintaining all rights. 
Whomever submits material owns it as far as I am concerned. All I ask 
is that we have first right to print (we compete on the basis 
originality). Once printed, you may do whatever you wish with the 
material, you own it. We usually archive it online and columns are 
available for distribution online. Since hardcopy prints are a fixed 
cost, they can be purchased if anyone wants a few hundred. I don't 
know the cost, a marketing person can help if needed. Our Media Pack is here
http://www.geoconnexion.com/downloads/media_pack2007.pdf

5) Timeline - I am usually working 90-100 days ahead of time. Be 
aware that there is delay in hardcopy and get material in early. On 
the flip side, we publish our articles to online almost immedately 
after hardcopy production.


I like your first column idea. Let me know if you have any questions 
and I will try to answer.

I look forward to your first column!

All the best,

jeff



Jeff Thurston, Editor
GEOconnexion International Magazine
Berlin, Germany
49.30.24.04.98.90
www.geoconnexion.com

Done! -- see 
<http://wiki.osgeo.org/index.php/GeoConnexion_Column>http://wiki.osgeo.org/index.php/GeoConnexion_Column 
-- so far we have ChrisH and Dan.

Jeff, what sort of word count did you have in mind?

It would probably make sense to have the first column be about what 
open source means, who OSGeo is, quick bullet list of what projects 
we have, etc. I can cover that one (unless the wordcount is too high :-)

-mpg



----------
From: discuss-bounces at lists.osgeo.org 
[mailto:discuss-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of Daniel Ames
Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:00 PM
To: OSGeo Discussions
Subject: Re: [OSGeo-Discuss] any suggestion of GIS magazine?

Great challenge, Jeff. The univerisity open source'ers like myself 
should be very interested in helping produce a column such as this. 
Maybe VisCom could start by creating a wiki page with a table 
indicating each month, proposed topic, proposed author, and article 
deadline date. The topic and author columns could be left blank, and 
the community could be invited to visit the page and insert 
themselves with their proposed topics. Just an idea... - Dan

On 2/20/07, Michael P. Gerlek 
<<mailto:mpg at lizardtech.com>mpg at lizardtech.com> wrote:
 > I'll make the Open Source community a challenge. If it can produce
 > and deliver a column every month (or every other month), I'll include
 > it in the magazine.

Sounds like a good deal to me... But, to clarify, I'd like to see the
column as being written by different people every (other?) month, to
avoid burnout and such by one single author.

VisCom would happily volunteer to coordinate this.

-mpg (who, by way of full disclosure, has written an
       aritcle or two for GeoConnexion in the past...)


 > -----Original Message-----
 > From: 
<mailto:discuss-bounces at lists.osgeo.org>discuss-bounces at lists.osgeo.org
 > [mailto: discuss-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of Jeff Thurston
 > Sent: Monday, February 19, 2007 11:49 AM
 > To: <mailto:discuss at lists.osgeo.org>discuss at lists.osgeo.org
 > Subject: [OSGeo-Discuss] any suggestion of GIS magazine?
 >
 > Since the issue of Geoconnexion International Magazine has been
 > mentioned, I would like to respond.
 >
 > As the editor of the magazine, I will say that the content is very
 > mixed and varied. There are a significant number of articles
 > pertaining to both large and small companies and projects. Topics in
 > recent times have included context mapping, FDO use in software, GML,
 > CityGML, open architectures, standards etc. While we have changed
 > direction, it needs to go further in my view.
 >
 > My approach (ie. OGC, Open Source and other similar bodies), has been
 > to find the users, manufacturers and developers of those technologies
 > and support their work through publishing their material. The bottom
 > line being, if it works, helps people and solves their problems, then
 > that is the point, I can say that there are many talented people also
 > doing work that is not wholly open source as well, and a significant
 > portion of them speak about 'openness' a great deal.
 >
 > The bottom line is that our magazine stretches throughout Europe,
 > extends into Middle East and Africa and North America as well. It
 > must pay the bills to produce it. I believe we distribute more
 > magazines than any other in Europe.
 >
 > I'll make the Open Source community a challenge. If it can produce
 > and deliver a column every month (or every other month), I'll include
 > it in the magazine.
 >
 > The topic can be the communities choice, though I retain final editor
 > rights. My suggestion is to revolve your column among the whole
 > community, but it's up to you.
 >
 > I welcome your participation.
 >
 >
 > Happy reading,
 >
 > Jeff
 >
 >
 >
 > Jeff Thurston, Editor
 > GEOconnexion International Magazine
 > Berlin, Germany
 > 49.30.24.04.98.90
 > <http://www.geoconnexion.com>www.geoconnexion.com
 >
 >
 > _______________________________________________
 > Discuss mailing list
 > <mailto:Discuss at lists.osgeo.org>Discuss at lists.osgeo.org
 > http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
 >
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