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<p>Dear Suchith,<br>
<br>
I understand your point, and I also support your views on this,
but this is from my perspective a too personal/particular issue,
as to have it as an "OSGeo open letter". Also, because this is
more of an ICA and not so much an OSGeo issue, I think. <br>
<br>
First, I would keep it more general. You address a particular
issue (UN SDG book published by esri), and also some personal
background (this should not matter to the addressed subject). I
would recommend you keep it from being personal and denouncing
proprietary GIS vendors. If a company plays by the rules of
science, there is nothing wrong about that company publishing a
scientific book. I.e. almost all book publishers are commercial
companies with interests somehow and somewhere.<br>
<br>
You need to “attack” scientific “wrong doing” by that particular
company in conducting the editing and publication of that book.
Publishing books if done correctly is not wrong, even by a vendor
with vested interests. But if you witness, for example, that
submissions using open source GIS solutions are disadvantaged
against the submissions using products of the proprietary GIS
vendor publishing the book, that would be the point to raise and
attack.<br>
<br>
Second, better write about how it should be done to avoid this
negative “Fake Science” things from happening. Here the idea of
Open Science and Reproducible Science is key, i.e. the most
openness and transparency possible. We just need more transparency
in science and also in the whole process of editing/reviewing and
publishing a book. And this is where OSGeo can contribute.
Basically, real reproducible and open science is not possible
without open source software. If you can’t see how something is
implemented, you can not really reproduce the results.<br>
<br>
Third, if you accuse someone of “Fake Science” please make sure to
offer evidence about this particular misconduct. If you fail to do
so, you are creating “fake news” yourself. Sorry, no offense at
you personally, but I think its not a good idea to publish this
letter in OSGeo's or GeoForAll's name. At least not with these
accusations or even notion of "Fake Science" in it.<br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>To be clear, I share your view that it is bad, if esri would
publish a book written by scientists in the context of a United
Nations initiative to maybe only advertise its own product, but
until any misconduct is proven, you can't accuse esri or ICA of
"Fake Science".</p>
<p><br>
Best regards,<br>
Christian<br>
</p>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Am 24.07.2018 um 11:53 schrieb Suchith
Anand:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:AM6PR0602MB3798DB2DC4D7A3A61CCD241D82550@AM6PR0602MB3798.eurprd06.prod.outlook.com">
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<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:
11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear
</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial,
Helvetica, sans-serif;">colleagues</span><span
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif;">,</span></span><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
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<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
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min-height: 14px;">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica
Neue"; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have
prepared a draft letter with my ideas/suggestions </span><span
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif;">.I am just a volunteer and I feel sad that</span></span><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial,
Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">that I have to
raise this issue through an open letter.</span><font
face="Helvetica Neue"><span style="font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> But if I
remain silent on this , I will be indirectly supporting
the degrading of </span></font><span style="font-size:
11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> independent
peer review frameworks for Scholarly publications of
Scientific Associations.</span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br>
</span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is the
fundamental duty of all Officers of Scientific
Associations/Organisations</span><span style="color: rgb(0,
0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif;">to always take steps to </span><span
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif;">guard and protect independent peer review
frameworks</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for Scholarly
publications of Scientific Associations. I am hopeful and
confident that that they all will do this for the future.</span><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);
min-height: 14px;">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am not a
native English speaker, so please help refine this</span><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">letter
correctly. I want us to look at the future not focus on
mistakes made in past . Some mistakes have been made and I
understand that this is corrected. We are all human , so we
all make mistakes</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. So let us not
focus on past mistakes but look at ideas on how we can
strengthen the independent peer review frameworks</span><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for Scholarly
publications of Scientific Associations in the future.</span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);
min-height: 14px;">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
International Cartographic Association (ICA) is my
organisation for which</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0,
0); font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have
volunteered for the last 15 years and continuing . I have
great respect for everyone in this great global community .
The SDG book is a community effort (not any individual’s
book project) . I have requested from the start (as soon as
I came to know) for openness and transparency in decision
making for selecting the publisher. esp. as this book is on
UN SDG . I understand that ICA has now corrected the mistake
. Everyone makes mistakes and it takes courage to
acknowledge and correct the mistakes .Compassion and
forgiveness are important values .</span><span style="color:
rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial,
Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am
very grateful that ICA has listened to my concerns and
rectified this . So I don’t have any issues with ICA or any
colleagues in ICA. We might have difference in opinions on
some issues and having free and open discussions is in my
humble opinion the best way to learn each others
perspectives and find best solutions to move forward.</span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
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<u><br>
</u></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
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<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
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min-height: 14px;">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please send any
updates/modifications needed to the draft by 30th July 2018.
I am on family holidays ( with no internet ) in first week
of August, so I will aim to send this before I go on
holidays.</span><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
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<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br>
</span></p>
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<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
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<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">===========================================</span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
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</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
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<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">
<b><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Draft of Open
Letter on the importance to protecting independent peer
review frameworks</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif;">
</span></b><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><b><span
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif;">for Scholarly publications of Scientific
Associations</span></b></span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);
min-height: 14px;">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:
11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Scholarly
publications (edited books, journals etc) from scientific
associations</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">/</span><span
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif;">organisations has</span></span><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">credibility and
reputation because of strong independent peer review
frameworks </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.
We are very fortunate in the Geospatial domain to have many
reputed Scientific Associations and organisations (ICA, IGU,
ISPRS, IEEE-GRSS, IAG etc) who have over many decades
provided strong leadership in advancement of geo science.</span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);
min-height: 14px;">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In times of fake
news, science is usually one of those areas that can give us
orientation and we can rely on.</span><span style="color:
rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial,
Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Independent peer
review frameworks</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for Scholarly
publications is among the foundations of good science.
However, this is</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">obviously at
risk now.
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If a
professional association takes</span><span style="color:
rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial,
Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">agrees to
publish scholarly publications (edited books etc)</span><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">through a GIS
vendor’s press then there is potential issues with
independent peer review and ensuring scientific quality. It
is only natural that any GIS vendor publication press to
have vested interests in promoting their products and</span><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">agenda. It also
makes it easy for the vendor to get endorsement for their</span><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif;">products from scientific and professional
organisations using this route. </span><span
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif;">Independent peer review is the fundamental
aspect of science and we need to ensure all steps to
protect this.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);
min-height: 14px;">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are also now
seeing a very disturbing trend with</span><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">some vendors
even starting to trademark “ science” for marketing/sales of
their</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size:
11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">products and
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“science” is
being misused for vendor marketing/sales! . I have raised
this issue through an open letter [1] .</span><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Science is not a
commodity to be marketed or sold by any vendor owners! I am
very sad and disappointed to see this degrading of science
happening. Scientific organisations should not endorse any
specific vendor products etc as “Science” and take strong
moral stand against</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">marketing of
products as “Science’ by any vendor owners!</span></p>
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normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);
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<br>
</p>
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<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am a volunteer
for the ICA for the last 15 years and always done my best in
my small way to support ICA . Around one year back, i</span><i><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">n the light of the </span></i><a
href="http://mapyear.org/" id="LPlnk430064"
class="OWAAutoLink" previewremoved="true"
moz-do-not-send="true"><span style="color: #e4af0a"><i><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">International
Map Year (IMY)</span></i></span></a><i><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, the
</span></i><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size:
11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
International Cartographic Association (ICA) started an
excellent initiative
</span><i><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for</span><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">highlighting
the value of cartography by “mapping” the
</span></i><a href="https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/"
id="LPlnk307766" class="OWAAutoLink" previewremoved="true"
moz-do-not-send="true"><span style="color: #e4af0a"><i><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">UN
sustainable development goals</span></i></span></a><i><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></i><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Building upon this, The ICA
community started work on a book on UN SDG Mapping</span><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">building upon
the posters of the various commissions on this [2]. This is
a great community initiative developed with inputs from all
colleagues in commissions of the ICA. The Open Source
Geospatial Commission colleagues also contributed our inputs
for this. When the book project was announced, I did my best
to contact colleagues to contribute to this in good faith. I
didn’t have the faintest idea that it was being planned to
be published through a properitary GIS vendor publication
press! </span>
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As soon as I
came to know about this, I did contact Menno -Jan with my
concerns and requested him that as this is a community book
project to please allow open discussions and keep the
community updated [3] . I was very surprised that there was
no open and transparent discussions on selecting the book
publisher was done.</span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
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min-height: 14px;">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From an email
from Anthony Robinson on 16th July 2018, I understand now
that ICA is not proceeding with the vendor GIS publication
press (Esri press)</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for the SDG book
and I welcome this. But it is</span><span style="color:
rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial,
Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">important</span><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">we need to be
learn lessons from this mistake and not repeat this in
future</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif;">. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are all
humans and make mistakes.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);
min-height: 14px;">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I fully respect
the right of individuals publishing their personal work [1]
in any publication house that they wish. But as officers of
Scientific Organisations, esp. in times of some vendor
owners doing marketing/sales on “Science” , I request all
colleagues to be careful not to do anything that will
undermine independent peer review process.</span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);
min-height: 14px;">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am suggesting
some initial ideas that we all can take as a community to
help reduce this problem in the future</span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">
</p>
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<li><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:
11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All
Scientific </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Associations
and organisations should </span><span style="font-size:
11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ensure
that there is full open and transparent discussions
allowed before choosing any publishers of scholarly
publications (Edited Books etc). </span></span><br>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">
</p>
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<li><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is
important that GIS scientific associations/organisations
take strong moral stand against taking sponsorship/royalty
etc
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for scholarly
publications from all GIS vendors . Independent peer
review system is the fundamental aspect of science. So I
am humbly requesting all Scientific organisations to</span><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">not use
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">any GIS vendor
controlled press for publishing scholarly outputs (edited
books etc).</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">GIS
scientific organisations should not</span><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color:
rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tak</span><span
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif;">e</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> any
sponsorship or royalty for scholarly publications (</span><span
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif;">books, journals etc) from any GIS vendors .
If a scientific association takes</span></span><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">agrees to
publish scholarly publications (edited books etc)</span><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> through
the vendor’s press then there is potential issues with
independent peer review and ensuring scientific quality.
It is only natural that any GIS vendor publication press
to have vested interests in promoting their products
and agenda. It also makes it easy for the vendor to get
endorsement for their products from scientific and
professional organisations using this route. </span><span
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif;">Independent peer review is the fundamental
aspect of science and we need to ensure all steps to
protect this.</span></span><br>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">
</p>
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<li><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Officers of
Scientific Organisations and Editors of all GIS journals </span><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">declare any conflict of
interest with any vendors (funding/sponsorship/royalties
etc received from any GIS vendors currently or in the
past) to ensure transparency and good practices.They
should not support any vendors interest directly or
indirectly. Scientific organisations should not endorse
any specific vendor products etc as “Science” and take
strong moral stand against marketing of products as
“Science’ by any vendor owners!</span><br>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);
min-height: 14px;">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);
min-height: 14px;">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am concerned
with the wider degradation of science and education
happening in different sectors. This is a moral issue and
needs all organisations globally in science and education
working together.</span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);
min-height: 14px;">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br>
</span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);
min-height: 14px;">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br>
</span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica
Neue"; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is the
fundamental </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">duty of all </span><span
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif;">Officers of Scientific Organisations</span></span><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial,
Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">to guard and
protect independent peer review frameworks</span><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
</span><font face="Helvetica Neue"><span style="font-size:
11pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for
Scholarly publications of Scientific Associations. I am
hopeful and confident that that they will do this for the
future.</span></font><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);
min-height: 14px;">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Best wishes,</span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);
min-height: 14px;">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suchith</span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);
min-height: 14px;">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);
min-height: 14px;">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(228, 175, 10);">
<span style="color: #454545">[1] <a
href="https://www.rd-alliance.org/group/geospatial-ig/post/open-letter-importance-scientific-freedom-and-public-good"
id="LPlnk527628" class="OWAAutoLink" previewremoved="true"
moz-do-not-send="true">
<span style="color: rgb(228, 175, 10);">https://www.rd-alliance.org/group/geospatial-ig/post/open-letter-importance-scientific-freedom-and-public-good</span></a></span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(228, 175, 10);">
<span style="color: #454545">[2] <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://">https://</a><a
href="http://icaci.org/maps-and-sustainable-development-goals/"
id="LPlnk925436" class="OWAAutoLink" previewremoved="true"
moz-do-not-send="true"><span style="color: #e4af0a">icaci.org/maps-and-sustainable-development-goals/</span></a></span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(228, 175, 10);">
<span style="color: #454545">[3] <a
href="https://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/geoforall/2017-June/003790.html"
id="LPlnk76817" class="OWAAutoLink" previewremoved="true"
moz-do-not-send="true">
<span style="color: rgb(228, 175, 10);">https://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/geoforall/2017-June/003790.html</span></a></span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(228, 175, 10);">
<span style="color: #454545">[4] <a
href="https://esripress.esri.com/display/index.cfm?fuseaction=display&websiteID=254&moduleID=0"
id="LPlnk619170" class="OWAAutoLink" previewremoved="true"
moz-do-not-send="true">
<span style="color: #e4af0a">https://esripress.esri.com/display/index.cfm?fuseaction=display&websiteID=254&moduleID=0</span></a> </span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);
min-height: 14px;">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-stretch:
normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family:
"Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);
min-height: 14px;">
<br>
</p>
</div>
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<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Dr. Christian Willmes
AG GIS & Fernerkundung | GIS & RS Group
Geographisches Institut | Institute of Geography
Universität zu Köln | University of Cologne
Tel.: +49 (0)221 470 6234
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.geographie.uni-koeln.de/14126.html">http://www.geographie.uni-koeln.de/14126.html</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.sfb806.de">http://www.sfb806.de</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://crc806db.uni-koeln.de">http://crc806db.uni-koeln.de</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://publons.com/a/1316706/">http://publons.com/a/1316706/</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5566-6542">http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5566-6542</a>
</pre>
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