[Aust-NZ] Can proprietary products be discussed/promoted at FOSS4G2009?

[mapbutcher]

I agree with Chris, Brent, Bruce etc

The 2007 conference was in part a success through contributions made from
proprietary vendors, the likes of AutoDesk, ESRI Canada, DMSolutions etc. As
organisers of the conference we would soon find out how difficult it would
be without the backing of these companies. We should also remember that
because these companies operate a proprietary business model does not make
them exclusively proprietary they are all, to some degree supporters of Open
Source Geospatial software and Open Geospatial Standards.

I would actively support the inclusion of proprietary presentations and
contributions. Perhaps the proprietary v's open source arguments are too
often dominated by voices on the fringe excluding those that simply want the
best set of tools for the job? IMHO we need more voices to explain and help
us understand how we can benefit from introducing open source geospatial
technology into our existing technology stacks, proprietary or not. I think
Mark's comments said it all:

*'we should be prepared to show off the wonderful array of greys we have
available'*'

By excluding we would be going against the grain of the very thing we are
trying to promote

Cheers

Simon
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