[OSGeo-Board] Re: [OSGeo-Discuss] Is OSGeo North America-centric?

[Markus Neteler]

On 9/5/06, Jody Garnett <jgarnett at refractions.net> wrote:
> Tyler Mitchell wrote:
> > On 4-Sep-06, at 6:38 PM, Gary Lang wrote:
> >>
> >> "How to enable more people to participate in OSGeo efforts (make it
> >> less North-America centric which is getting to be an issue in
> >> European GFOSS communities)"
> >>
> > Is this purely an issue about optics - or how the organisation
> > 'appears' to be?  Or is it based on some deliberate decisions that
> > make it more difficult to participate?
> >
> > Like you say, when any group wants to do more or feel closer to the
> > action, it sets the stage for regional chapters.  Surely people
> > wouldn't say, for example, the German Chapter of OSGeo is too North
> > American focused?  Yet we are all OSGeo.  Local focus is the reason
> > for the chapters, so engagement at that level will be the most
> > effective and empowering.
>
> Maybe I should ask the question a different way, when I return home how
> can I join the North American chapter :-)  If people in North America
> have not felt the need to make a chapter yet, perhaps it explains the
> impression of a North American focus for the organization as a whole.

Good point in my opinion. Why do we need German, India etc. chapters
but not an USA chapter? Because it's is (to become) an US Foundation.
It is not about what OSGeo is, but how it is perceived outside - in some
parts of the world. I don't know if OSGeo-USA chapter makes sense, but a
bit of bias is there. I think that OSGeo is doing a great job which needs
to be communicated appropiately.

I appreciate that this (non-)issue is discussed here.

Markus