[Foss4g2008loc] draft call for workshops for FOSS4G2008

Fri Mar 7 00:07:06 EST 2008

Hi All
 
Please find my comments below marked upfront with ++
 
Kind regards,Burnie Nawn  0837785352


> Date: Thu, 6 Mar 2008 07:59:46 -0800> From: davep at confluence.org> Subject: Re: [Foss4g2008loc] draft call for workshops for FOSS4G2008> To: foss4g2008loc at lists.osgeo.org> > Gavin Fleming wrote:> > Hi all, please review this draft by 16h00 SAST Thurs 6 Feb so we can> > distribute the Call on Friday. Thanks to Graeme for putting this> > together.> > A)> As Jeff suggests, the Workshop Committee should preferably be> established first, so they can review the call, etc.
 
++ I Agree. As agreed at our last LOC meeting I can take the lead, but will need some assistance. This will especially be needed at the event itself. I understand that currently the LOC will be largely involved in the sifting process. I am sure we could use the current workshop mailing list to get a wider audience to participate.
 
> B)> Personally, I don't like the part about the Kahil Gibran> quote - it sounds "cheesy" to me.
 
> C)> FOSS4G2007 introduced "Labs" as the name for 90-minute> 'Workshops'. If that same terminology is going to be used> for 2008, it needs to be decided up front, and therefore> the distinction made clear in all communications, and on> the website. For example, someone may not be willing to> submit a Workshop, if they can't be in Cape Town on the> days that Workshops will run, however they may be willing> to submit a Lab. On one hand it's a convenient way to> distinguish the two classroom formats, but on the other> hand it's sometimes not very clear, such as when a mailing> list is for "workshops"(i.e. where's the list for "labs"?).
 
++I agree on the standardisation of name use. It does not reflect so in teh current call for workshops.
> D)> In my opinion, there shouldn't be room for 'non-hands-on'> Workshops/Labs. For 2007, the feedback was clear that> people expected hands on, and lots of it.> E)> The 'workshop submission template document' needs to be> available at the same time as the Call is announced, and> the Workshop Committee needs to revise the document used> for 2007, to fix some deficiencies. That document, and> possibly this Call, needs to clarify the 'free or half-> price' registration details (e.g. # of people), that> workshop materials will be published online after the> conference, etc.> F)> Is the "three days prep per hour of classroom time"> still a good guideline?
 
++ I believe so. We want to make sure the quality of work presented is of the highst quality. Even if you are familiar with your own system it takes a while to convey this information.
> G)> I get the part about accepted presenters needing to> register for the conference, but I question whether> there is any need for people submitting workshop/lab> proposals to "create an account" on the website. For> 2007, submissions were done via email. Maybe only once> people are accepted as Instructors should they need to> create an account on the website?
 
++ I think they should only register once accepted to avoid any chaos.
> H)> As I've said before, the mailing list used for the> 'workshop discussions' should be "year-specific".> Frank setup "conference-workshops at lists.osgeo.org"> without mentioning the year, but in my opinion> that is a mistake. It will be fine for now, but in> the future you don't want an Instructor for the 2009> conference doing a search of the list's archive for> something, and finding postings that are for the> 2008 conference. One list per FOSS4G conference is> my suggestion.
 
++ I support you on the annual thing.
> > > > My specific suggestions for changes in the draft's wording> are inline below, bracketed with "#...#". "##" indicates> a deletion.> ======================================================================> > #FOSS4G 2008 Conference Call for Workshops#> > > The FOSS4G (Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial) conference> > is pleased to announce the Call for Workshops for the 2008> > conference, #which is# being held September 29-October 3 in Cape Town,> > South Africa.> > > > FOSS4G is the premier conference for the open source geospatial> > community, providing a place for developers, users, and people new to> > open source geospatial to get a full-immersion experience in both> > established and leading edge geospatial technologies.> > > > This year's FOSS4G #conference# is a bit different #than prior FOSS4G> > conferences#, #because# it incorporates GISSA> > 2008, the main GIS Conference on the South African calender#. GISSA is> > primarily# attended> > by people who are not yet too familiar with FOSS4G#, however,# the> > South African Government has made a> > strategic commitment to FOSS. This has created a certain amount of> > clamour for more information about FOSS4G. The FOSS4G2008 Organising> > Committee believe that immersive workshops could play a crucial role> > in convincing people that FOSS4G is "An Option for Developing> > Nations"#, working# alongside more well known proprietary tools. As > > the famous wedding quote generator, Kahlil Gibran, once said, "Even as> > the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music".> > Not to stretch the poetry too far, but FOSS4G 2008 offers an> > opportunity to let people experience the FOSS and proprietary> > software strings playing nicely together.> > > > Come to Cape Town to showcase your favorite application, integration> > solution, or other topic#,# and get the excitement bubbling around it.> > You will use your superior classroom skills to lead a group of> > attendees through your chosen topic in {either a half-day workshop or> > ninety minute lab}.> > > > No restrictions are placed on topics for workshops, but we expect> > interest to be high for workshops on:> > > > * Practical Introduction to ___________ * Interoperability * Exposure> > to a Software Stack * Fitting FOSS4G into the enterprise * Using> > FOSS4G to solve __________> > > > #In addition,# FOSS4G plays strongly in emerging spaces, so workshops> > with NeoGeography-like themes or on new directions will be welcome> > and are likely to be fresh topics for many attendees.> > > > ##FOSS4G workshops are ##"hands on" events, with> > participants seated in front of computers and able to follow along> > with the instructor, working directly with the software and> > applications under discussion.> > > > Workshops require considerable preparation. Past experience has shown> > that a high quality workshop requires about three days of preparation> > for each hour of presentation time. As part of this preparation you> > will be expected to develop material for attendees to take away with> > them, such as handouts, a 'workbook', CDROM, etc.> > > > In recognition of this effort, workshop presenters will receive a> > reduction in the price of conference registration:> > > > * free registration for delivering a half-day workshop * half-price> > registration for delivering a 90-minute workshop> > > > #If your topic can be delivered in either a half-day or 90-minute> > format#, you may want to consider submitting two> > versions of your topic, #because the number of Workshops and Labs> > is limited. It is unlikely that your topic will be selected for> > delivery in both formats. You are welcome to submit Workshop/> > Lab proposals for more than one topic.#> > > > Please visit the Call for Papers page on our website to receive> > instructions for submitting a workshop#/lab# proposal at> > http://conference.osgeo.org/index.php/foss4g/2008/schedConf/cfp> > > > > > The deadline for workshop proposal submissions is 15 April, 2008. You> > will hear whether your proposal has been accepted by 30 April, after> > which you will be required to register for the conference to confirm> > your attendance#,# as well as subscribe to the> > conference-workshops at lists.osgeo.org mailing list, which will be the> > forum for discussing your workshop development, progress and> > logistics with the #Workshop Committee#, members of the OSGeo> > community#,# and fellow presenters.> > > -- > Dave Patton> > System Developer> National Forest Inventory> Pacific Forestry Centre> Natural Resources Canada> > Degree Confluence Project:> Canadian Coordinator> Technical Coordinator> http://www.confluence.org/> > OSGeo FOSS4G2007 conference:> Workshop Committee Chair> Conference Committee member> http://www.foss4g2007.org/> > Personal website:> Maps, GPS, etc.> http://members.shaw.ca/davepatton/> _______________________________________________> FOSS4G2008LOC mailing list> FOSS4G2008LOC at lists.osgeo.org> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/foss4g2008loc
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