Briefing before board meeting 19th May, 2006

[Venkatesh Raghavan]

Dear All,

Would like to share some thoughts/info
about the following agenda items before
todays Board meeting commences;

* Discuss OSGeo Japan and our approach to local chapters.

I had some informal exchanges earlier with Frank, Markus, and Tyler
about some issues related to the local chapter last
12 May (which was 13th May for me) and the discussions
are available a http://logs.qgis.org/osgeo/%23osgeo.2006-05-12.log

Autodesk Press Briefing on 16th. May was very much successfully with 
attendance of 17 Press people from 9 companies.
And as of 19 May, we found the articles in 3 web news and 1 news paper 
(Nikkan Kogyo).Mr. Noda of Autodesk Japan is preparing to send
a brief report in a few days time.The message that I sent for
the press briefing (had sent to the board ML too) seems to
have been well received by the press.

One Webnews that I came cross is available at
http://enterprise.watch.impress.co.jp/cda/topic/2006/05/16/7818.html

Announcement about the interest/intent to establish the "OSGeo Japan
Chapter" was made at the briefing and after initial discussions with
OSGeo Board, it is hoped that "OSGeo Japan Chapter" will become
functional by September, 2006 (coinciding with FOSS4G2006?).

The preparatory committee for "OSGeo Japan Chapter" comprising
for Mr. Tori Mori (0rkney Inc., Japan), Kazunori Noda (Autodesk Japan),
Prof. Shinji Masumoto (Osaka City Univ., Japan) and myself are
presently in discussions about various modalities about the
local chapter and I will be able to provide some more info
during the next weeks Board meeting. Mr. Mori is also expected
to attend the Where2.0 and will be able to discuss more during
Where2.0.

The preparatory committee hopes to closely interact with the
OSGeo board (and members) and gain deeper understanding of

a) What the local chapter must surely do
b) What the local chapter is expected/entitled to do
c) What the local chapter is not expected/entitled to do

About the Agenda item

* Discuss about promoting OSGeo in Asia

I have include a list of conferences being held in Asia
in 2006 to
http://wiki.osgeo.org/index.php/Promotion_and_Visibility_Committee

#  Geinforum2006 (website in Japanese) 29-30 June 2006 (Yamanashi, Japan)

The Japan Local Chapter preparatory committee will make a
presentation about OSGeo and its role in promoting
open geospatial solutions in Japan and Asia. We hope
that some OSGeo brochures/poster would be available
by then for distribution.

# MapAsia2006 29 August - 1 September 2006 (Bangkok,Thailand)

MapAsia is a big event organized by GIS at development (Sanjay Kumar).
Sanjay is also know to the VisCom Chair (Arnulf). VisCom (I can
also assist) to possibility of showing OSGeo presence at MapAsia
2006. Distribute brochure (perhaps have the brochure included
in the conference kit, distribute OSGeo T-Shirts to lucky
few (first come first serve). T-shirts are cheap in Thailand,
Share booth space with some one at MapAsia (will cost some money),
Have David Hastings (ardent supporter of OSGeo) to give a brief
talk about OSGeo (perhaps, OSGeo can bear David's conferennce
registration. Fee is a little by Thai standard).

# GIS-IDEAS 2006 9-11 November 2006 (Ho Chi Minh (Saigon),Vietnam)

Is OSGeo interested to be a sponsor or have/share a booth at
GIS-IDEAS 2006. If so, I can try to get things started since I
am one of the Coordinators of this meeting. Markus attended in
2004 and we had a workshop on GRASS. We plan to have a workshop
this year too. Sponsorship info is available at
http://wgrass.media.osaka-cu.ac.jp/gisideas06/sponsors.html

# Asia-Pacific Remote Sensing 2006 13-17 November, 2006 (Goa,India)

This is a big event organized by SPIE. VisCom (I can
also assist) to possibility of showing OSGeo presence here.
Distribute brochure (perhaps have the brochure included
in the conference kit, distribute OSGeo T-Shirts to lucky
few (first come first serve). David Hastings will be
attending and presenting a joint paper (include some
OSGeo also) with me. I will not be able to attend but maybe
David put up OSGeo Poster etc.

Not sure if I could be heard over Skype today. Last meeting
I could hear all but my voice was not going thru.

Will be on IRC too.

Regards

Venka