[Talk-ca] [AtlanticCanada] Introduction

[Sam Vekemans]

... but their is a conflict, as OpenStreetMap is not as 'free' as some
people in the OSGeo community has indicated. (from my presentation to
the osgeo-bc chapter last summer).


But I agree, I can take a more professional approach, and write a
Paper about this.


It will be interesting to hear the results of if OSGeo-BC have changed
their opinion, and perhaps this opinion is not reflected in Atlantic
Canada?


.... or perhaps there is no interest in discussing it, as people will
still misunderstand what 'free' means, even after April 1st.


I guess only time will tell.


Cheers,
Sam

On 2/2/11, Emilie Laffray <emilie.laffray at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> just a quick comment following your observation.
> I would like to point out the relation between osm and osgeo are orthogonal
> considering they have two different mandates: osgeo is working on open
> source geography tools, many of which I use almost everyday, osm is a free
> data source. The members between the two groups largely overlap and there is
> absolutely no conflict. Many people from osgeo are doing some work in osm
> and vice versa.
>
> OpenStreetMap Canada will never become osgeo-Canada because they don't have
> the same goals in the first place. I would also like to point out that
> several local osm groups are a sub section of local osgeo groups like what
> is happening in France and Germany. There is no licensing problem whatsoever
> or conflicts. I am part of osgeo-fr. In addition, tools like Mapnik are
> moving towards OGC standards allowing to use WMS. In addition, the OSM wiki
> website is full of examples on how to use many people produced by the osgeo
> community like mapserver, openlayers, GDAL/OGR2OGR, Postgis, etc.....
>
> You can of course talk about different source of data on osgeo mailing
> lists. But you would however find very difficult to go and praise latest
> incarnation of Arcgis from ESRI on and on on the osgeo mailing list: that
> would be considered trolling. Similarly, raving on CommonMap on osm mailing
> lists is not considered polite at best. You are more than welcome to talk
> about it but making it the single point of all discussion is not considered
> polite.
>
> In addition, many people including me are talking to Brendan Morley
> regularly and we have no qualms about CommonMap. It is a different solution
> answering to a different need. However, it is not free of licensing issues
> itself, and so far it is possible for them to contribute back two ways with
> Australian government as it is using the same licence (CC-BY, a ported
> version for Australia), which may or may not prevent similar interaction in
> in Canada, or the US for example due to licensing issues. Apart from that,
> it is wonderful project which I hope will succeed.
>
> Anyway, this was a quick answer to your email. There is no point in
> continuing to hijack this thread in public and I am more than happy to
> continue to reply in private as I don't want to look like I am raving.
>
> Emilie Laffray
> OSMF Treasurer
>
> On 1 February 2011 14:16, Sam Vekemans <acrosscanadatrails at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> FYI,
>> Just an observation.
>>
>>
>> On the talk-ca mailing list, where i have attended and creating osm -
>> 'mapping parties', i have noticed where the difference is from an
>> osgeo 'informal meeting'
>>
>>
>> The OSGeo Community (all things geo-related) is a much more
>> professional group.  The group members tend to be professional gis
>> people (in their day jobs).
>>
>>
>> Where-as, for OSM, there is a tendency (or at least in the begining)
>> for it to be 'weekend hobbiests, and geocaching, and maaping
>> inthusiasts'
>>
>>
>> So there is a contrast, which is known, but perhaps not apparent,
>> especially when writing notes to each mailing list.
>>
>>
>> Just an observation.  If OpenStreetMap Canada wants to become
>> osgeo-canada .... this is where the data licence conflicts.
>>
>>
>> I can freely talk about 'commonmap and open map features, and
>> alternate api's at a osgeo-canada meetup, but that discussion is
>> 'shunned' on the osm-ca mailing list and meetups.
>>
>>
>>
>> Just an observation,
>>
>


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