[Board] FOSS4G rotation

[Cameron Shorter]

Jachym,
That is a good suggestion.
I think the right place to add such information is into the slowly 
developing FOSS4G Cookbook. I've added an entry to capture this here:
http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/FOSS4G_Cookbook#Guarantees

Once decisions have been made regarding amounts of money, then we can 
add that information to this wiki page too.

On 17/04/13 06:37, Jachym Cepicky wrote:
> Cameron, I'm aware of board priorities, but I think, the message from
> OSGeo (board) to the community is just not communicated well (clear
> enough). Please tell me, if there is web presentation (single web page),
> which would clearly say how things are:
>
> 1) OSGeo is taking the financial risks for the global and some regional
> conferences
> 2) To organize such event, we need in general about $xK
> 3) And that are the reasons, why we ask for revenue
>
> The questions from the community to the board and conference committee
> are just coming again and again: "why are you asking so much for Open
> Source conference, why isn't it (preferably) for free?"
>
> Maybe I'm wrong - that are just my impressions, that some statements,
> clear to the long-time board members are not clear to larger crowd of
> the community.
>
> Jachym
>
> Dne 16.4.2013 13:41, Cameron Shorter napsal(a):
>> On 16/04/13 16:29, Jachym Cepicky wrote:
>>> Correct me, if I'm wrong, but from publicly easy available materials
>>> (osgeo.org) it is not fully clear, that the financial risk of the
>>> conference goes to OSGeo. OSGeo is investing money to FOSS4G, naturally
>>> it's expecting revenue and also profit, so the not-so-financially
>>> oriented events (as already noted, basically non-US/EU events) could
>>> take place without having to worry, whether we will be able to organize
>>> next event.
>> Jachym,
>> As far as I'm aware, OSGeo has financially backed all FOSS4G global
>> events since OSGeo came into existence, (except FOSS4G Beijing). OSGeo
>> also is also backing the last and current FOSS4G-NA event.
>>
>> So as per our board priorities:
>> http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Board_Meeting_2013-02-26#Conferences_and_related_events
>>
>>
>> /Conferences are financially risky events. They need to be planned well
>> in advance, and you are never sure how many people will turn up, or
>> whether some global event will have a substantial impact on
>> registrations. Consequently, conferences such as FOSS4G require
>> financial guarantees up front in order to secure a venue. To support and
>> enable these conferences, OSGeo will endevour to retain sufficient
>> capital to offer such guarantees for any FOSS4G event requesting it. If
>> OSGeo's support is requested, then OSGeo would expect these events to
>> budget for a modest profit under conservative estimates, and for OSGeo
>> to retain profits from such events. To date, such profits, while
>> relatively modest, have been OSGeo's primary income source. /
>>


-- 
Cameron Shorter
Geospatial Solutions Manager
Tel: +61 (0)2 8570 5050
Mob: +61 (0)419 142 254

Think Globally, Fix Locally
Geospatial Solutions enhanced with Open Standards and Open Source
http://www.lisasoft.com