[Board] Teach-in 2009

[Dave McIlhagga]

Good insights Mark.

After reading your comments -- it made me realize that by trying to  
accommodate conflicting views on this and as a consequence diluting  
our association with this effort - we'd be just compromising the many  
benefits for both OSGeo and the organizers which really doesn't make  
any sense to me.

What it boils down to -- Teach-in without OSGeo branding would be a  
very big net loss to the organization no matter how you slice it.

Let's make it happen.

Dave



On 30-May-08, at 3:11 PM, Mark Lucas wrote:

> An observation, we are shooting ourselves in the foot on this one.
>
> Most of the people (if not all) of this proposed activity are very  
> active OSGeo supporters, this provides a much needed service on the  
> top OSGeo projects.  The organizers, in good faith, are trying to  
> contribute to the financial resources, marketing and quality of the  
> OSGeo organization.  In this stage of our development our problem is  
> not having our brand undermined - we need more activities like this,  
> we need more resources, we need (dare I say it) more corporate  
> sponsorship to raise the quality of the projects and their available  
> level of support.  We are taking a very good thing and worrying that  
> it might somehow be bad.
>
> OSGeo needs to empower and enable these activities and local  
> activity.  OSGeo should manage by exception instead of worrying  
> about what 'might' go wrong.  If, at some point in time, someone  
> tries to subvert our intent or take advantage of our brand - that  
> would be cause for this level of discussion.  As Tyler mentioned, we  
> are punishing those supporters who have the audacity to ask for  
> permission.
>
> Some of the leading board members have recused themselves because  
> they want to participate.  I admire their integrity, but  
> unfortunately this is taking a bad turn because we have too many  
> OSGeo people involved in the proposed activity (hmmm).
>
> To the Director and the current board members - if in your honest  
> opinion you think this would be good for the OSGeo I would ask that  
> you don't recuse yourself and drive this through (make a disclosure  
> if it makes you feel better).  It would be silly for Dave to defer  
> future training activity just to move this in the right direction.
>
> We should have OSGeo labels all over this one....
>
> Mark
>
>
>
> On May 30, 2008, at 1:29 PM, Paul Ramsey wrote:
>
>> On Fri, May 30, 2008 at 10:24 AM, Dave McIlhagga
>> <dmcilhagga at dmsolutions.ca> wrote:
>>> Unfortunately, "OSGeo
>>> Teach-in" is pretty hard to argue that it is anything but an OSGeo  
>>> activity.
>>
>> I don't understand the "unfortunately". I think it's a great OSGeo
>> activity, like FOSS4G, and will generate great buzz for the
>> foundation.
>>
>>> As for supporting the event -- if it comes down to it, I'd be  
>>> willing to
>>> abstain from any potential corporate involvement for DM in any  
>>> teaching
>>> activities at Teach-in if that's what's required to get this  
>>> approved.
>>
>> I don't think that's an issue. We can do an unbranded event without
>> any Board approval, in my mind.
>>
>> "Never look a gift horse in the mouth." Great saying.
>>
>> P
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>