FW: [California] Introductions, regional & local chapters

[Landon Blake]

The point about local chapters is an excellent one. California is a big
state, and I don't see someone in Redding driving down for meetings in
San Diego. :]

Still, I think there is a role for a state-wide chapter, and I think
this would be especially important in the beginning, when our membership
is still growing. I would suggest we set up "local committees" that can
address local issues and arrange for local meetings. We could have one
member of each local committee serve on a committee that oversees
statewide chapter activities. Each local committee should comply with
some basic principles of the statewide chapter, but I think they could
be pretty independent otherwise. The challenge here will be deciding
which areas of the state belong to which local committee. I can see
Stockton and Sacramento in the same committee, but what about Fresno?
That might be too far south. Perhaps splitting things up by County would
be a good idea?

Allan wrote: "Most of my programming is in Python these days."

I've just started using Python to write some extension scripts for
Inkscape. My next big project on OpenJUMP is to support more advanced
SVG export. The tools I'm writing for Inkscape allow for some more
precise "CAD-Like" drawing.

Allan wrote: "I've been using Scribus a lot 
these days to produce a newsletter, and think it's a great product.
Since I 
think the end point in cartographic production should be a high-quality
PDF 
document, I could envision Scribus as the final tool used in a
cartographic 
production chain."

I agree %100. I've been trying to encourage FOSS GIS folks to think
about Inkscape and Scribus as map production tools of choice. I think it
makes more sense to use and contribute to these tools then it does to
add the same functionality in each FOSS GIS Program.

In my mind, the FOSS Cartographic Production Chain should look like
this:

FOSS GIS Program -> SVG Export -> Inkscape -> Image Export -? Scribus
(Final Map Layout) -> PDF Export

Allan wrote: "About metadata tools -- my dream tool would be able to
generate a good input form given a fairly arbitrary metadata schema."

Do you mean something that is given a metadata schema and produces a GUI
form for the user? I never thought about that... Perhaps it could be
done with GladeXML and PyGTK?

Allan wrote: " Are you thinking in terms of a 
desktop tool, or something web-based? GeoNetwork goes a fair bit down
the 
latter road."

I was thinking of a tool for the Desktop. Something like Metavist or
Corpsmet, but that I can run on Linux. :]

http://sco.wisc.edu/wisclinc/metatool/cormet95.htm
http://nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/gtr/gtr_nc255.pdf

Landon


-----Original Message-----
From: california-bounces at lists.osgeo.org
[mailto:california-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of Allan Hollander
Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2007 5:48 PM
To: california at lists.osgeo.org
Subject: Re: [California] Introductions, regional & local chapters

About statewide vs. local chapters -- on the main list Tyler was being 
slightly facetious about what the role of a Canada-wide chapter could
be, but 
I think his point might apply here. I like the idea of a SF Bay Area
FOSS4G 
group (not that distant of a trip for me), so maybe an initial goal of
this 
California list should be to precipitate local groups. From discussion
at 
those, California-wide goals could emerge. 

Most of my programming is in Python these days. I've been using Scribus
a lot 
these days to produce a newsletter, and think it's a great product.
Since I 
think the end point in cartographic production should be a high-quality
PDF 
document, I could envision Scribus as the final tool used in a
cartographic 
production chain.

About metadata tools -- my dream tool would be able to generate a good
input 
form given a fairly arbitrary metadata schema. Are you thinking in terms
of a 
desktop tool, or something web-based? GeoNetwork goes a fair bit down
the 
latter road.

-- Allan


On Thursday 18 October 2007 09:05, Landon Blake wrote:
> Allan,
>
> Thank you for the introduction. I am thrilled to hear about open
source
> GIS being used at some level in the University of California System.
>
> I work as a Land Surveyor in Stockton, California. I work as a
volunteer
> administrator and programmer on the open source program OpenJUMP.
>
> You wrote: "The main goal I have for this chapter would be to raise
the
> awareness of open source geospatial tools within geospatial
> practitioners in California."
>
> I'd love to hear some ideas about how we could reach this goal.
>
> You wrote: "I am also interested in regional FOSS4G meetups."
>
> Meeting places can be hard to come by. I could offer my back porch in
> Stockton if the weather was nice. Maybe we could arrange something
after
> the holidays. Perhaps a date in January would work? Or, if it was more
> convenient, I could drive up to Davis... I wonder if we have any
people
> from Southern California on the mailing list?
>
> You wrote: " I also like the programming ideas
> that have been posted so far on the wiki page."
>
> My favorite language is Java. I've also been known to dabble in C#,
> Python, and even a little C. Do you have a favorite language?
>
> You wrote: "Enhancing the hard-copy
> cartographic capabilities of the FOSS4G toolset is a big interest of
> mine..."
>
> I've already started working on some Python extension scripts for
> Inkscape. These scripts will enable "tools" for precision drawing
needed
> in a cartography. Perhaps this could be a starting point? I've created
a
> Google Code project called InkTech to host the source code for the
> scripts. There is nothing up there yet, because I'm still learning the
> ins and outs of the scripting system in Inkscape.
>
> You wrote: "There is definitely a need for a simple, modern, and
> general-purpose
> metadata editor."
>
> I agree. Could we start with a simple GUI editor that worked with a
> single metadata standard? Would we support the FGDC standard, or
> something else?
>
> Landon
>
>
_______________________________________________
California mailing list
California at lists.osgeo.org
http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/california


Warning:
Information provided via electronic media is not guaranteed against defects including translation and transmission errors. If the reader is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this information in error, please notify the sender immediately.