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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>In particular (to Michael’s last comment), your Subject inserts
the word “government” where it does not appear in your “gist of the comment”
summary, and that’s rather a significant distinction. Which is it?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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</span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Ed<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Ed McNierney<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Chief Mapmaker<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Demand Media / TopoZone.com<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>73 Princeton Street, Suite 305<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>North Chelmsford, MA 01863<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Phone: 978-251-4242, Fax: 978-251-1396<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><a href="mailto:ed@topozone.com"><span style='color:blue'>ed@topozone.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>
discuss-bounces@lists.osgeo.org [mailto:discuss-bounces@lists.osgeo.org] <b>On
Behalf Of </b>Michael P. Gerlek<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, January 25, 2008 5:29 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> OSGeo Discussions<br>
<b>Subject:</b> RE: [OSGeo-Discuss] Does Open Source need a supervisory
governmentbody?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:blue'>Bruce-</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:blue'>Without having seen the sentences on either side of the one you
quote, I think I'd argue that the author is not wrong in his
statement: is not what we here call a PSC, and indeed the
OSGeo Foundation itself, an embodiment of "some form of central
authority"?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:blue'>..which is not to say your own arguments are wrong, obviously
-- it just may be that you're reading something stronger into what the
author actually had in mind?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:blue'>-mpg</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
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margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> discuss-bounces@lists.osgeo.org
[mailto:discuss-bounces@lists.osgeo.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Bruce.Bannerman@dpi.vic.gov.au<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, January 25, 2008 12:43 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> OSGeo Discussions<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [OSGeo-Discuss] Does Open Source need a supervisory government
body?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>IMO:</span> <br>
<br>
<br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Sorry for the
inflamatory subject heading. I'm hoping to get a few bites with my fishing...</span>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>I'm currently
reviewing a high level government strategy paper (in draft) and intend
submitting a formal response.</span> <br>
<br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>I'd like to see
some discussion on the subject by my respected colleagues prior to making the
submission.</span> <br>
<br>
<br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The gist of the
comment in the draft strategy is something like:</span> <br>
<br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>"Open
Source approaches to software development will be most effective if some form
of central authority undertakes the role of verifying contributions and
providing quality control."</span> <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>My initial
reaction and response to this is something like:</span> <br>
<br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>"This is a
misreading of how Open Source works. </span><br>
<br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Successful Open
Source Projects typically have software of superior quality. This is usually
due to there being many developers who have access to the software for QA
purposes.</span> <br>
<br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Any attempt to
impose a central authority from outside of Open Source projects would be
rebuffed vigorously and result in a probably irrepairable relationship between
that party and the project(s) involved.</span> <br>
<br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The most
successful centralised Open Source authority is probably the Apache Foundation
(http://www.apache.org/) which is behind a wide range of projects including the
Apache Web Server, probably the most widely used Web Server on the Internet.
The Foundation pioneered the concept of 'Meritocracy', where people earn
respect and are given greater responsibility for projects based on their past
contributions and 'merit'. The Foundation grew from within the Project. It was
not imposed on the Project. They have developed an enviable reputation for
spawning, incubating and fostering robust Open Source Projects that routinely
produce high quality software.</span> <br>
<br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Nearly two
years ago, an organisation called the Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGEO,
http://www.osgeo.org/) was formed based on the Apache ethos, to provide
similar support for Open Source Spatial applications. They currently have a
number of prominent spatial projects in Incubation with a number of other
equally capable projects waiting for the next vacancy for incubation."</span>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>OK, over to
you. I'm interested in all points of view on this issue.</span> <br>
<br>
<br>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Bruce Bannerman</span>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
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