[Journal] Regrouping for 2008 - quick questions

[Rafal Wawer]

Happy New Year everyone,
Following Tylor's request to introduce new mailing list's members I'd
like to write a few words about myself. At present I am working at K.U.
Leuven within CASCADOSS (www.cascadoss.eu) project and some other FOSS4G
training initiatives performed at SADL (Spatial Applications Division
Leuven). My professional experience includes: GIS/RS in
environmental/agricultiral/spatial management domains, watershed
modelling, fundamental research on soil science and soil erosion issues.
More details to be found at
http://www.erozja.iung.pulawy.pl/pracownicy/rafwawEn.htm I am interested
in FOSS4G since 2000 as I was looking for free solutions for my PhD
research. Later on I have been using FOSS4G in my enterprise. Now,
within CASCADOSS I am involved in software evaluation process and
general project management. I am strongly dedicated to the idea of
FOSS4G as, knowing from my own experience in Poland, the lack of free
software for GI and also inavaiability of free spatial data, hold the
development of GI market as well as deminish the range of environmental
assessments and potential scientific progress. I hope to be able to take
part in changing the actual state, not only in Poland. This also a good
moment to start, as EU itself adresses the importance of OSS in its IT
systems and newly accessed member states are interested in improving
their GI systems and spatial data.

Regarding the OSGeo Journal.
I am very happy that the Journal appeared, presenting a professional
forum for FOSS4G research and development issues. I would very much like
to participate in the development of the Journal, but unfortunetly I
cannot take much work, as I am involved very strong within CASCADOSS
project and training initiatives at least till the end of August 2008.

I think 3 volumes a year is not enough, but I guess the number of
volumes/year can be flexible, depending upon the number of articles
received. At the moment there is still place for new articles in each
journal's section. When the interests in publishing in OSGeo will grow,
the number of volume issued will have to adapt. I think, the Journal's
peer reviewed sections can attract more young researchers, especially
PhD students, who are interested in gaining their "credit points" for
the PhD or research experience. There are several other scientific
journal focused on modelling, software and GI, but the time between
submitting an article and getting it printed usually takes a long time.
If OSGeoJournal will care for fast publication it may be more attractive
to those young authors. I hope CASCADOSS deliverables will result in
growing number of publications submitted to OSGeoJournal from CASCADOSS
"affected"  (-; countries.

Best regards:
Raf

Dr. Rafal Wawer
K.U.Leuven
R&D Division SADL (Spatial Application Division) 
Celestijnenlaan 200e bus 2224 
BE-3001 Leuven-Heverlee
Belgium
tel. 0032 16 329731



-----Original Message-----
From: newsletter-bounces at lists.osgeo.org
[mailto:newsletter-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of Tyler Mitchell
(OSGeo)
Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 10:00 PM
To: OSGeo Journal
Subject: [Journal] Regrouping for 2008 - quick questions
Importance: High


Happy new year,
As some of you may have noticed I finally put up a deadline for the  
next volume.
This is going to be an incredible issue if we can get it all  
together.  But first I'd like to invite you all to take a few moments  
to share your feedback from our first full year of the OSGeo Journal.

Please share with me via the list:
* Will you continue/discontinue to work on the journal this year?  Or  
if you are new, are ready to start contributing now?
* Would you like your role to change in some way?  How/where/why  
would you like to help?
* How can we get more content through our process faster? E.g.  
improve getting from drafts-->to final easier?
* What were your top annoying things about the production process in  
2007?
* What was the highlight of 2007 Journal volumes for you?
* What's the biggest challenge for the Journal in the future?  
(solutions welcomed too :) )
* Was 3 volumes in one year too many?  just right? too few?
---
I've taken the past month to regroup my own thoughts on these points  
but I'd like to get yours too before we jump into the next volume.

Hope all is well, just say hello if you don't have any great  
responses.  I'd like to see more traffic on this list if possible.   
I'll have a bit less time to work on the journal this year, so I'm  
hoping that with the couple new additions to the team and a bit of  
streamlining we can still produce 3-4 volumes this year.  I certainly  
believe there is enough content out there..

Now it's your turn, looking forward to hearing from you.
Tyler

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