[Board] US ARRA Broadband mapping

[Ari Jolma]

My comments:

This is about implementation of U.S. legislation, seemingly about *how*
to publicise geospatial data about broadband services. I have no problem
supporting reminding about open standards etc in relation such
activities. However, I'm not so sure if we have any resources for this -
if we have I guess it comes from U.S: based volunteers.

If the ARRA provides opportunities for (U.S.?) companies using OSGeo
software to place bids to get funding, I'm for that.

In Europe we're fighting for *getting access* to publicly funded
geospatial data, let alone using open standards like WFS.

Best regards,

Ari

Frank Warmerdam kirjoitti:
> Folks,
>
> Brian Hamlin (darkblue / <maplabs at light42.com>) has been following
> activities in the US with regard to mapping broadband availability
> with regard to use of stimulus funding to improve things.  He has
> been investigating work by an advocacy group named Public Knowledge
> in this area, and thinks there is an opportunity for us and them to
> work together.  I believe the idea is that we would provide some
> advocacy support, and that we would assist with provision of software
> and support for their group to do the broadband mapping project.
>
> If it proceeds there should be funding to support the work.
>
> He has suggested we get in contact with them with a letter something
> like the below.  Brian is on the road now and has limited online
> capacity but I believe he plans to follow up with the board when he can.
>
> If someone is interested in this topic they might want to learn more
> about Public Knowledge at publicknowledge.org.  I am interested but
> have limited capacity/time to followup.
>
> ==
> TO: Public Knowledge et al
> RE: ARRA Broadband Mapping Lobby
>
> FROM: Open Source Geopsatial Foundation (OSGeo.org)
> DATE: 22 June 2009
>
> All-
>
> It has come to the attention of our Board of Directors that Public 
> Knowledge et al is engaging in lobbying on behalf of data transparency 
> and open access to information pertaining to the ARRA Broadband 
> Initiative.
>
> We at OSGeo strongly support open data access as a public good, and 
> the use of open, interoperable standards in software used to acquire, 
> manage and disseminate public data.
>
> There may be an opportunity to work together in a timely manner on 
> this issue. Please consider arranging a conference call with 
> appropriate parties in all possible haste, so that strategic options 
> may be explored.
>
> If you are not familiar with OSGeo, after a quick search on the web, 
> you will find that OSGeo is the leading on-the-ground open source 
> software development organition, comprising xx2 dozen projects and 
> 100s of developersxxbragxx across the world and in the United States. 
> As a coalition, OSGeo holds a unique role in advocacy of open 
> standarads and open source, in a world where industry consolidation 
> has produced a very small handfull of huge private firms, with the 
> inevitable market tensions associated with maintaining their 
> positions. We believe that OSGeo is very much in line with the spirit 
> and intent of the push for transparent government and public access 
> science. As such there may be a special opportunity to raise the bar 
> for the kind of technology initiative as presented in the ARRA 
> Broadband Initiative now and in the future.
>
> best regards
>
> signature


-- 
Prof. Ari Jolma
Environmental Management Information Technology
Teknillinen Korkeakoulu / Helsinki University of Technology
tel: +358 9 4511 address: POBox 5300, 02015 TKK, Finland
Email: ari.jolma at tkk.fi URL: http://geoinformatics.tkk.fi