[OSGeo-Edu] [Fwd: Sorry can't make it]

[Charlie Schweik]

Markus Neteler wrote:
> Charlie, all,
>
> please let's us NOT restrict to certain operating systems. We can add 
> notes
> where needed but many software pieces are meanwhile ported with same
> look-and-feel. If not, better improve the software than writing 3-x 
> books :-)
>
> Best,
> Markus
OK thanks all for the feedback. And Gary, your table would be great. 
Anything I produce will hopefully have the material tried out on both a 
Linux and Windows platform, and I'll try to have something in it 
describing the differences if there are any.

Now, another question regarding our collaborative platform.

Over the summer I hope to get some of this material up or at least 
linked to on OSgeo. I use a wiki with my research assistants here, so 
have experience collaborating over this technology and like it for 
certain things. However, I'm not sure about using it for course modules.

Who else on this group is developing or planning to develop some 
educational material in the near future? How are you going to actually 
implement it?

Are folks thinking of just putting modules up on the wiki and letting 
them evolve over time? Or putting some kind of versioning systems in 
place where there is a stable release and then a Alpha development where 
people can add enhancements? I find myself thinking that we might want 
to have certain owners (often the original author, but not always) of 
curriculum modules the way there is typically some designated owner(s) 
of a FOSS software module, who has "promotion to release x" authority, 
and maybe even consider some kind of crude peer-review system (eventually).

And is the OSgeo wiki the platform for this content? At times, I find 
myself almost wanting to develop Open Office Writer documents and then 
upload them to Osgeo with a version #, some creative commons license in 
its header (new derivatives OK), and a list of authorship contributions, 
and  then perhaps have me designated as the  "module owner" since the 
module was my creation. Others could do the same. This way, I can at 
least on my end keep versions of modules that I use in my class and have 
some control over backing them up, etc. If I enter them on a remote wiki 
not under my control I feel a little uneasy (not that I don't trust the 
osgeo wiki manager, but I just want assurance that I can backup my 
material and get access to certain versions.)

What are others thinking? And what are others thinking about 
implementing (with regard to curriculum material) over the next year? 
(Apologies if this was discussed in the IRC this morning...)

Charlie