[Board] Report on OSGeo-Asia

[Jeff McKenna]

After coming home from another trip to Asia, I feel that it is important 
that I share the many activities of the OSGeo chapters in that region 
with the OSGeo board.  Many good things are happening by local chapters 
in that part of the world, but because of language and cultural issues 
most of their good work is often not noticed by rest of the OSGeo community.

OSGeo-Japan

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Paul Ramsey and I attended OSGeo events in Tokyo and Osaka Japan in 
early November (http://www.osgeo.jp/).  Those who have been to an 
OSGeo-JP event can tell you that it is a combination of the excellent 
marketing (posters, videos, t-shirts), enthusiasm for FOSS4G, and 
generous hospitality of OSGeo Japan that makes the events so special. 
This year's events saw attendance numbers of around 300 in total 
(Osaka+Tokyo), with many more following the event streamed live online 
(approximately 600 unique viewers).  Much of the credit for the events 
should go to organizers such as Hirofumi Hayashi (new OSGeo Charter 
Member from Osaka), Yoshida Daisuke (OSGeo Charter Member from Osaka) 
and Furuhashi Taichi (Tokyo), but also the many student volunteers and 
their genuine passion for FOSS4G.  The OSGeo-JP chapter created a 
promotional video for this year's events, and it really does capture the 
enthusiasm of FOSS4G in our global community 
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-TaOuqm26k).

Having been to the area in 2004, and back again in 2008 with Claude 
Philipona and Chris Schmidt, I have been lucky to follow the amazing 
progress of this chapter.  I think everyone should consider attending 
one of their events.

I should also note the great work in terms of translation of OSGeo 
software that is happening through this chapter.  Local funding has 
assisted in translating GRASS, QGIS, several enhancements to OSGeo4W 
package, plus rapid development in the ZOO (www.zoo-project.org) and 
goGPS (www.gogps-project.org) projects.

OSGeo-China

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After the OSGeo-JP events I was very lucky to be invited to Beijing 
China to participate in several OSGeo events there this month along with 
Gerald Fenoy (OSGeo Charter Member and ZOO-Project PSC Chair) and Dr. 
Eugenio Realini (Visiting Researcher at Osaka City University and goGPS 
project core developer).  Funding for the trip came in part from the 
grant awarded by the Ministry of Education, China awarded to Prof. Prof. 
Yu Zhiwei and Venka both at the China University of Mining & Technology 
Beijing (CUMTB); but much of the credit must go to Prof. Xianfeng Song 
from the Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences for making 
it happen.  I first met Song-san in 2004 at the FOSS4G GRASS event in 
Thailand through Venka, and since then I have been aware of his many 
OSGeo activities. Song for many years maintained the MapServer with 
Flash tutorial, which he provided for users in the MapServer community. 
  Song has also been quick through the years to translate many OSGeo 
announcements in Chinese for the local community.

During my 7 days in Beijing we gave several OSGeo lectures at the 
University, and we also attended an OSGeo event held by the OSGeo-China 
local chapter at the Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural 
Resources Research in Beijing.  Unfortunately the chair of the local 
chapter Prof. Rongguo Chen could not attend, but many other OSGeo local 
leaders were in attendance, including Dr. Ang Gao, who quickly reminded 
me of their bid to host the FOSS4G2010 event (won by Barcelona).  You 
can see some great pictures of the event here: 
http://osgeo.org.cn/?q=node/44

I never forgot a recent thread on the OSGeo Board list saying negative 
things about OSGeo China 
(http://osgeo-org.1803224.n2.nabble.com/Meeting-minutes-posted-td5378024.html#a5384634) 
but I can tell you from first-hand experience that there is a lot of 
enthusiasm for OSGeo in China.  My impression is that the society there 
uses the best available software to solve the problem, and I can tell 
that they appreciate FOSS4G software.  Indeed I was asked many questions 
about MapServer vs GeoServer and benchmarking (sound familiar?); so the 
FOSS4G passion is as strong there as anywhere.

I wish to thank Song-san, Prof. Yu Zhiwei and Dr. Ang Gao for a 
wonderful introduction to OSGeo-China, and I have no doubt that we'll 
continue to see great things coming out of that chapter.

Prof. Venkatesh Raghavan ("Venka")
----------------------------------

I can't write a report on OSGeo in Asia without singling out Venka.  He 
deserves so much credit for bringing OSGeo communities together.  Each 
year he leads the charge to find funding to bring OSGeo representatives 
to Asia, and he knows the value of introducing international guests to 
the local community - face to face is so important, or as he says, 
"boots on the ground".  All of a sudden a local developer isn't shy 
about posting a trac ticket, or a developer answering a trac ticket can 
put a a face to the ticket reporter - priceless.

I must also mention that during my visit to Beijing, Venka was awarded 
Guest Professorship at the China University of Mining and Technology for 
his “Outstanding contribution to Open Source Geospatial Technologies” 
and I had the privilege of attending the event when Venka received this 
award. Earlier in 2010, Venka was also recognized as “Excellent Foreign 
Teacher” by the Ministry of Education, China. Even as I submit this 
report, I know that Venka will be off to Hanoi, Vietnam for his next 
promotion of OSGeo at the GIS-IDEAS-2010 
(http://wgrass.media.osaka-cu.ac.jp/gisideas10/) and I see a lot many 
papers related to FOSS4G being presented there. In January 2010, Venka 
will team with Arnulf, Markus and Maria Brovelli to promote OSGeo at the 
Geospatial World Forum in India (http://www.geospatialworldforum.org/).

Venka was one of initial Board of Directors of OSGeo, from 2006 to 2007, 
but I feel that he needs to be more visible in the OSGeo structure 
again, and I hope that we can consider him for any upcoming important 
roles in OSGeo.

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Thanks for reading my little report.  I hope that it sheds some light 
for someone into OSGeo communities in Asia.



-jeff