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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#333333" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#333333'>Hi <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#333333" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#333333'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#333333" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#333333'>I’d like to request
a few more changes to the front page of the FOSS4G :<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<ol style='margin-top:0cm' start=1 type=1>
<li class=MsoNormal style='color:#333333;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><font
size=2 color="#333333" face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>please change the following: FOSS4G2008 incorporates GISSAs
2008 biennial conference' <o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
</ol>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:18.0pt'><font size=2 color="#333333"
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#333333'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<ol style='margin-top:0cm' start=2 type=1>
<li class=MsoNormal style='color:#333333;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><font
size=2 color="#333333" face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>please remove “South African delegates can
treat this as an extra-special biennial GISSA conference.<o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
</ol>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#333333" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#333333'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<ol style='margin-top:0cm' start=3 type=1>
<li class=MsoNormal style='color:#333333;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><font
size=2 color="#333333" face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>I’m not clear as to why some topics are treated
as themes and some as ‘applications, methodologies and theoretical work’
. Why are some (MDG’s, PPGIS) under themes, and Health, land
reform not. Should they not all be themes? What differentiates
some from the other, and what does it mean for people wanting to submit
papers. <o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
</ol>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:18.0pt'><font size=2 color="#333333"
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#333333'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<ol style='margin-top:0cm' start=4 type=1>
<li class=MsoNormal style='color:#333333;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><font
size=2 color="#333333" face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>The theme was put forward after much discussion on
our side about how we pursue the notion of ‘option’ and how we
encourage the participation of the whole South African GIS community.
There needs to be a clear link between the theme and the text below it
indicating why it was chosen, that this is about debate, discussion, and
exploring what is appropriate for the developing world. As it stands
now, the GISSA bit comes below the theme which immediately dilutes it,
followed by a bit more about GISSA and a sentence about wanting to
encourage exposure, debate etc. <o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
</ol>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#333333" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#333333'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:18.0pt'><font size=2 color="#333333"
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#333333'>There
are some topics which suggest that this is about development issues, but the
text does not reflect the intention of the bid. I’m working very
hard at this end to get the proprietary software vendors to come to the event by
selling it as a debate. I’d like to see a little more enthusiasm
about the theme, that we need everyone there to participate given the current
status of GIS software in developing countries, that its time for developing countries
to participate in the debate, that it will be an opportunity for people from
developing nations to have access to FOSS experts from around the world, etc.
I think its all in the motivation.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#333333" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#333333'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<ol style='margin-top:0cm' start=5 type=1>
<li class=MsoNormal style='color:#333333;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><font
size=2 color="#333333" face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>I seem to recall our earlier discussion that papers
on proprietary GIS were not to be restricted to GISSA members only.
The discussion was that some topics should be open to developing countries
to get them to come, present their stories, and discuss and debate how
FOSS could work for them. The discussion was the all developing
countries would be welcome to submit any paper, but that preference would
be given to FOSS. If no-one in the developing world has used FOSS
for health do we exclude them, knowing that the situations in developed
and developing countries are very different. There should be
no need on the programme to indicate if it FOSS or mixed. If its an
application, and people know that the conference aim is to generate
debate, it woun’t matter which software was used, people will go because
of the chance to learn about or inform others about what FOSS can do. Hopefully
there will be FOSS people in all of the sessions who can participate in
the discussion. And it may be that FOSS cannot do what proprietary
software can do, and that someone will be prepared to assist with new
developments. <o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
</ol>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:18.0pt'><font size=2 color="#333333"
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#333333'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:18.0pt'><font size=2 color="#333333"
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#333333'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:18.0pt'><font size=2 color="#333333"
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#333333'>This
if from the FOSS4G page immediately below the theme:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#333333" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#333333'>“The local
host for FOSS4G2008 is the GeoInformation Society of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">South Africa</st1:country-region></st1:place>, <a
href="http://www.gissa.org.za" target="_blank">GISSA</a>. FOSS4G2008
incorporates 'GISSA 2008'. South African delegates can treat this as an
extra-special biennial GISSA conference. <br>
<br>
While Free and Open Source GIS is our focus, GISSA members are welcome submit
papers they would have submitted were this the 'usual' GISSA conference, i.e.
with solely proprietary GIS content. We want to encourage exposure, debate and
understanding among FOSS and proprietary communities. Submissions with some
reference or relevance to FOSS will be given preference, however and where
appropriate, talks will be marked clearly on the programme as FOSS /
Proprietary / Mixed.”</span></font><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Carrin Martin</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Research Manager</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Africa Vision Research Institute</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on"><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>272 Umbilo Road</span></font></st1:address></st1:Street><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Durban</span></font></st1:place></st1:City><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> 4001</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>South
Africa</span></font></st1:place></st1:country-region><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Ph: 031 2023811</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Fax: 031 202 3858</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Fax to e-mail: 0866 363060</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><a href="http://avri.ukzn.ac.za/HomePage11670.aspx">http://avri.ukzn.ac.za/HomePage11670.aspx</a> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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