<p dir="ltr">Thanks you Peter for the summary and for carrying this topic further</p>
<p dir="ltr">Jachym<br></p>
<p dir="ltr">Send from cellphone</p>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Jul 19, 2014 11:21 AM, "Peter Baumann" <<a href="mailto:baumann@rasdaman.com">baumann@rasdaman.com</a>> wrote:<br type="attribution"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
Hi activists,<a href="mailto:industry@lists.osgeo.org" target="_blank">industry@lists.<u></u>osgeo.org</a><br>
<br>
background: At the FOSS4G-Europe last week we had a 2h discussion on "FOSS & business". Key OSGeo representatives like Jeff McKenna and Jachym Cepicky joined in and promised to carry discussion into OSGeo. One outcome is this mailing list.<br>
<br>
I'd like to take the opportunity of summarizing a few thoughts I find key.<br>
<br>
- why care?<br>
Because a large part of the OSGeo community is making money with FOSS in one or the other way. Frankly, they need to survive from the money they make. OSGeo should enable, not kill business opportunities.<br>
<br>
- OSGeo role.<br>
We discussed intensively how OSGeo could promote FOSS-based business. Some agreed that the right level of comrpehensiveness should be: branding and supporting "free & open source software" as a concept ready & mature for business. This message is simple and agreeable enough that OSGeo could act on this indeed.<br>
<br>
- no more cannibals!<br>
More than once I have seen discussions ending up in cannibalizing ourselves by condemning business completely (in particular: dual license models), rather than being flexible (something essential for any small business, at least) and supporting creative business models that help the FOSS mission overall. There is a continuum of different business models inbetween the extremes of totally FOSS and totally proprietary.<br>
<br>
- OSGeo project branding.<br>
While I understand the good will behind selecting "good" FOSS projects (ie, their software) as a buyer's guide, I again see the danger that we cannibalize ourselves: the flipside of the message is that all non-OSGeo-branded FOSS projects are not mature, not to be recommended. Does/can/should OSGeo want to take on this responsibility? (disclaimer: I'm saying this in a situation where rasdaman, after several years of effort, is now close to finalizing incubation, so if branding would be abolished part of our effort would be in vain.)<br>
<br>
Altogether, OSGeo IMHO can support businesses by placing a clear message "FOSS is good for customers because it fulfills critical needs" (catchy phrasing to be found).<br>
<br>
So much for my impressions - thanks, dear reader, for bearing with me!<br>
<br>
cheers,<br>
Peter<br>
<br>
<br>
-- <br>
Dr. Peter Baumann<br>
- Executive Director, rasdaman GmbH Bremen (HRB 26793)<br>
<a href="http://www.rasdaman.com" target="_blank">www.rasdaman.com</a>, mail: <a href="mailto:baumann@rasdaman.com" target="_blank">baumann@rasdaman.com</a><br>
tel: 0800-rasdaman, fax: 0800-rasdafax, mobile: <a href="tel:%2B49-173-5837882" value="+491735837882" target="_blank">+49-173-5837882</a><br>
- Professor of Computer Science, Jacobs University Bremen<br>
<a href="http://www.faculty.jacobs-university.de/pbaumann" target="_blank">www.faculty.jacobs-university.<u></u>de/pbaumann</a><br>
mail: <a href="mailto:p.baumann@jacobs-university.de" target="_blank">p.baumann@jacobs-university.de</a><br>
tel: <a href="tel:%2B49-421-200-3178" value="+494212003178" target="_blank">+49-421-200-3178</a>, fax: <a href="tel:%2B49-421-200-493178" value="+49421200493178" target="_blank">+49-421-200-493178</a><br>
"A brilliant idea is a job halfdone."<br>
<br>
______________________________<u></u>_________________<br>
Industry mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:Industry@lists.osgeo.org" target="_blank">Industry@lists.osgeo.org</a><br>
<a href="http://lists.osgeo.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/industry" target="_blank">http://lists.osgeo.org/cgi-<u></u>bin/mailman/listinfo/industry</a><br>
</blockquote></div>