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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">wait - this is not about sponsoring
("fund" seems to express this), but assisting FOSS businesses. In
my opinion and that of several other participants this could mean,
for example, that tenders get collected (where known) on a website
and consortia can find themselves to respond to tenders. In the
era of INSPIRE and EU-wide tendering this IMHO transcends local
chapters. OTOH, for national biddings there is an overlap indeed,
and collaboration should be established with local chapters. <br>
But, of course, this is all in the make and ideas will (have to)
evolve. <br>
<br>
All in all: good discussion! (and no prob with x-posting, of
course).<br>
<br>
-Peter<br>
<br>
On 07/20/2014 06:55 PM, Gert-Jan van der Weijden wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote cite="mid:001e01cfa43b$6ecc6b30$4c654190$@nl"
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-GB">At first a message to the moderator: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-GB">Given the fact that the discussion on creating
an Eu-based fund is not just business (or:industry) related,
but also has impact on the local chapters I'm not that happy
with moving this discussion the a newly created, and thus
sparsely populated "industry" list. Therefore a
cross-posting to both lists.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-GB">On topic:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-GB">I like the idea of creating a EU-fund, in order
to skip legal problems that appartly exists when
fund-raising across the Atlantic Ocean. Just a fund, not an
OSGeo-EU! (and i think under Belgian law an "IVZW" would do
fine for this purpose)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-GB">However, when attracting OSGeo-sponsors in
Europe, both local chapters and a newly established
OSGeo-Eu-fund might try to attract the same potential
sponsors. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-GB">The Dutch local chapter has signed contracts
with 5 sponsors over the last year, most of them local
based. Currently we are in the process of attracting new
sponsors, among them some larger companies that do business
in the entire EU. To have OSgeo.nl and a newly established
OSGeo-EU-Fund competing to attract sponsors is something we
have to avoid. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-GB">So before establishing such a fund, please have
a discussion with all European local chapters<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-GB">The idea of an OSGeo.eu (as in more than just a
fund) doesn't appeal to me that much. I think the strength
of OSGeo are the local (either geographic or linguistic)
chapters. The members of these chapters have a lot in common
(language, network, development of the national
geo-infrastructure), which on a European scale might become
too dense. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-GB">Best regards, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-GB">Gert-Jan van der Weijden<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-GB">chairman of the Dutch local chapter OSGeo.nl<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF
1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext">Van:</span></b><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext">
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:discuss-bounces@lists.osgeo.org">discuss-bounces@lists.osgeo.org</a>
[<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="mailto:discuss-bounces@lists.osgeo.org">mailto:discuss-bounces@lists.osgeo.org</a>] <b>Namens </b>Dirk
Frigne<br>
<b>Verzonden:</b> vrijdag 18 juli 2014 18:03<br>
<b>Aan:</b> <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:discuss@lists.osgeo.org">discuss@lists.osgeo.org</a><br>
<b>CC:</b> <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:industry@lists.osgeo.org">industry@lists.osgeo.org</a><br>
<b>Onderwerp:</b> Re: [OSGeo-Discuss] Board meeting
2014-07-17: minutes<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt">Thank you
Anne, <br>
<br>
to give us the possibility to speak up on these important
topics.<br>
<br>
I was on the FOSS4GE[6] conference this week and had the
opportunity to talk to several other members of the
organisation.<br>
I also attended (remotely) the BOF OSGeo business meeting
yesterday<br>
and I did some reading (f.i. the blog of Steve Feldmann [1])<br>
<br>
So here are my 2c on the different topics:<br>
<br>
<br>
about the trivial aspects:<br>
---------------------------------<br>
First some easy things (where everybody is agreeing)<br>
- the conclusion of the BOF OSGeo business meeting is the
creation of an industry list[2] and everybody interested in
the topic is welcome to register on this list. I forwarded
this mail also to that list as to kickstart the discussion.<br>
<br>
about grant early bird price to FOSS4G for Charter members[4]<br>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
I agree. It is important for an organisation that people have
the chance to meet face to face with each other to build trust
relationships and friendships.<br>
We are a community of #people and human beings.<br>
<br>
<br>
about the travel budget and other costs for the organisation:<br>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
- As indicated above, I think we should discuss this topic
more deeper in the above list[2]. But to enable me to try to
formulate an answer that makes sense on the budget discussion
I feel free to post a statement here.<br>
So please react on this statement in the industry list, as
this is the right place to further discuss this topic.<br>
<br>
<br>
*axiom 1* OSGeo is a non for profit organisation of #people
with a passion about #Geo&#opensource<br>
(see also my mail concerning membership fees [3] )<br>
<br>
*bydefinition* Business should remain *outside* OSGeo <br>
(as it doesn't fit with a non profit organisation)<br>
(but some members of OSGeo - if not all - are involved
in business processes, as users, customers, developers or part
of an administrative, academic or industrial organisation,
sometimes in different roles)<br>
<br>
*axiom 2* OSGeo is a professionally governed organisation<br>
<br>
Well, in a professional governed organisation, you have a
board, representing the organisation, responsible and acting
on behalf everything the organisation does. The board is
allowed to do that and get the trust to do that every year
expressed on the general assembly.<br>
<br>
*axiom 3* OSGeo aims to be and stay a growing, strong and
Healthy organisation<br>
<br>
An organisation such as OSGeo is just like a living organism.<br>
Like all living organisms, an organisations starts, grows,
falls, stands up learning from previous mistakes, becomes
stronger and survives for living a long and prosperous live.
In this process it is important that, from a financial point
of view, you earn more than you spend. This also applies to
non for profit organisations as for profit organisation. <br>
<br>
Today OSGeo is already 10 years old (young). This is not yet a
mature individual, an important period of teenager is coming
into sight. A necessary process to become an adult.<br>
Like a child of 10 year old, I think we should progress
handling issues as money and business and relationships.<br>
Money is important to cover the necessary costs, at a minimum.<br>
<br>
So here I follow the decision of the board to use a certain
amount of travel budget to represent the organisation
physically on places where this is appropriate to do. I think
the board is wise enough to make these decisions on her own.
Also other costs to fix broken servers, or do something else
that is necessary for the good continuation of the
organisation fall under these decisions. Of course the board
is responsible not to spend more than the income statement
allows.<br>
But this way of working is only temporary in my eyes. <br>
It is also the task of the board to help the 10 year young
OSGeo organisation to transform into a professional, open and
transparent governed mature vehicle.<br>
(without losing the strong points of childhood).<br>
<br>
i.e.: <br>
- a clear vision should be formulated about the further
direction of the organisation<br>
points like: <br>
- how to help the OSGeo projects in their shared mission<br>
- how to treat all the OSGeo projects as equal<br>
- how to motivate new projects to become a full incubated
OSGeo project<br>
- how to respond to non OSGeo GIS projects, convincing
them to join OSGeo<br>
- how OSGeo should embrace her members<br>
- how OSGeo should treat her sponsors<br>
- how OSGeo should partner with other organisations<br>
- how OSGeo should look to and promote #respectfull and
#transparent business<br>
- ... []<br>
<br>
- an estimate should be made of the to expecting income in
2015 (before the FOSS4G conference 2014 preferable - but
ambitious, better do this for 2016)<br>
- an estimate should be made of the expecting costs in 2015.<br>
- the exercise should be made to have more income than costs.<br>
- the result of this exercise is the budget for next year.
This can be presented on the general assembly, so all the
members can approve this budget. As long as the board respects
this budget, the board can decide on be halve all the members
to do their job and take their responsibility. If things are
happening such as the board can no longer respect this
agreement, an escalation to the discuss mailing list or a new
general assembly should be organized.<br>
<br>
about OSGeo-Europe:<br>
-----------------------------<br>
Although I know there are several local chapters having their
own legal structure, I want to break a lance for maintaining
one team, one group of #people, one #OSGeo. Local chapters are
a good thing and should be promoted, but the strength of open
source is to share and to help each other to create strong
technology, public available source code, documentation,
idea's, fun and friendships. I want to break a lance than to
go further what we do today, and really bridge gaps between
the different projects, but that are thoughts for another
topic, another time ...<br>
<br>
Last week I heard several comments on the restrictions a US
based legal non for profit organisation has, and the will and
feeling that OSGeo could do more, if we decide better and
clearly what to do with the money. It should be used in
steering the GIS Open Source Future in the right direction.<br>
These remarks and comments did me think of creating a European
Fund.<br>
<br>
- having a US based org and a EU based Fund will spread the
organisation in an organic way further over the globe.<br>
- Money can be collected from sponsoring activities into the
fund.<br>
- A European fund should be able to participate in European
programs such as Horizon2020 and others. [to be investigated]<br>
- The money can be governed by the EU Fund, but the decisions
what we should do with the money could be decided by the board
of OSGeo, respecting certain rules:<br>
<br>
- Specific European funded projects still need a budget to
complete, so the fund can be used to complete these budgets<br>
- With the available money, OSGeo can sponsor innovative
idea's, where a valorisation factor can be included.
Innovative idea's can be sponsored by a vehicle that
understands the needs of an Open Source Business.<br>
- If a project is successful it should result in new value for
the fund, giving more budget to sponsor other innovative
projects. This should be managed like a professional
investment fund, so that the balance remains positive and the
leverage OSGeo can maintain on open source related business
grows year after year.<br>
<br>
I think I can help setting up a team that has the right
technical and legal expertise to create such a vehicle.<br>
<br>
OSGeo managed to grow from not existing into a world wide
organisation with #many members. OSGeo wishes to further grow
into a professional governed organisation (*axiom 2 and 3*),
so I think we should have the ambition to take this path
further and create the right environment to be able to reach
that ambition.<br>
<br>
I want to end this mail by expressing my personal believe that
doing things voluntary, because we (the committing members)
really are convinced that sharing and working together to make
the world a better place and to give the opportunity to all
(committing and involved members) to use, distribute,
document, improve gives a personal benefit in happiness and
satisfaction which can not be reached by money.<br>
<br>
Have a nice weekend!<br>
In Ghent where I live 10 Days of party are starting tonight
[5] and I will leave now to drink a couple of beers (which I
will pay myself :-)<br>
<br>
Dirk Frigne<br>
<br>
[1] <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://knowwhereconsulting.co.uk/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-free-lunch/">http://knowwhereconsulting.co.uk/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-free-lunch/</a>
<br>
[2] <strong><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:industry@lists.osgeo.org">industry@lists.osgeo.org</a></strong><br>
[3] <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/discuss/2014-July/013030.html">http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/discuss/2014-July/013030.html</a><br>
[4] <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/FOSS4GDiscount">http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/FOSS4GDiscount</a><br>
[5] <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.gentsefeesten.be/en">http://www.gentsefeesten.be/en</a><br>
[6] <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.osgeo.org/node/1422">http://www.osgeo.org/node/1422</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">On 18-07-14 12:42, Anne Ghisla wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt">
<pre>Hello all,<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre><o:p> </o:p></pre>
<pre>here are the minutes and logs of yesterday's Board meeting:<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre><a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Board_Meeting_2014-07-17">http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Board_Meeting_2014-07-17</a><o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>(Minutes and motions are yet unapproved.)<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre><o:p> </o:p></pre>
<pre>There has been discussion over elections 2014, strategic funding, OSGeo<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>and Europe, and finally OSGeo's business model.<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre><o:p> </o:p></pre>
<pre>My comment is that this has been one of the (few) meetings where there<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>was less of the usual large consensus.<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>Therefore I feel important to get thoughts from OSGeo members other<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>than the current Board, as it is already happening in last emails. At<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>the moment we have no better way to collect opinions and comments<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>besides mailing lists and in-person discussions, that are notoriously<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>difficult to summarise. (A wiki page is good to summarise, but not to<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>discuss.) Nevertheless, I encourage members to speak up on these<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>important topics.<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre><o:p> </o:p></pre>
<pre>Best regards,<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre><o:p> </o:p></pre>
<pre>Anne<o:p></o:p></pre>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<pre>_______________________________________________<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>Discuss mailing list<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre><a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:Discuss@lists.osgeo.org">Discuss@lists.osgeo.org</a><o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre><a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss">http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss</a><o:p></o:p></pre>
</blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<pre>-- <o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>Yours sincerely,<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre><o:p> </o:p></pre>
<pre><o:p> </o:p></pre>
<pre>ir. Dirk Frigne<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>CEO<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre><o:p> </o:p></pre>
<pre>Geosparc n.v.<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>Brugsesteenweg 587<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>B-9030 Ghent<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>Tel: +32 9 236 60 18 <o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>GSM: +32 495 508 799<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre><o:p> </o:p></pre>
<pre><a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.geomajas.org">http://www.geomajas.org</a> <o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre><a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.geosparc.com">http://www.geosparc.com</a><o:p></o:p></pre>
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<br>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="80">--
Dr. Peter Baumann
- Executive Director, rasdaman GmbH Bremen (HRB 26793)
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.rasdaman.com">www.rasdaman.com</a>, mail: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:baumann@rasdaman.com">baumann@rasdaman.com</a>
tel: 0800-rasdaman, fax: 0800-rasdafax, mobile: +49-173-5837882
- Professor of Computer Science, Jacobs University Bremen
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.faculty.jacobs-university.de/pbaumann">www.faculty.jacobs-university.de/pbaumann</a>
mail: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:p.baumann@jacobs-university.de">p.baumann@jacobs-university.de</a>
tel: +49-421-200-3178, fax: +49-421-200-493178
"A brilliant idea is a job halfdone."
</pre>
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