[California] Open Geospatial Data Award

[Landon Blake]

At the last annual meeting of the OSGeo California Chapter, chapter
members decided to move forward with the creation of the Open
Geospatial Data Award. This award will be given to one (1)
organization each year in California. The award will recognize the
organization's efforts to promote open access to geospatial data. I
thought this concept might appeal to other local chapters, so I wanted
to post our chapter's discussion about the award selection criteria
here.

I'm proposing the nominees for the award be scored on the folowing criteria:

1) The data is released without:
- Restrictions on its use.
- Requirements for indemnification ("duty to defend").
- Restrictions on distribution.
- Restrictions on modification.
- Requirement for monetary compensation.

2) The data is easily accessible.

3) Data is high quality:
- The data is regularly updated.
- The data is complete.
- The data is well documented (metadata).
- The data is reasonably accurate and precise.

Not every organization nominated will necessarily do perfectly in each
of these categories. I imagine we will need to come up with some point
scoring system for our chapter's award selection committee to use.

I designed the preliminary award in Inkscape and I can make the SVG
available. I didn't
incorporate the OSGeo color scheme or logo, but could redesign the
award if this wasn't objectionable. We could come up with a standard
certificate that could be used by all of the local OSGeo chapters. I
imagine we'll want to have the award framed before we deliver it to
the selected organization.

I think this is a great opportunity to recognize good behavior on the
part of government agencies and other organizations that are promoting
open access to quality geospatial data. I also think it is a great
marketing opportunity for OSGeo and the local chapters.

I'm toying with the idea of presonally donating some volunteer hours
to the selected agency, to assist with mapping efforts of technical
supporttraining for open source geospatial software.

What do you guys think?

Landon (AKA: The Sunburned Surveyor)

PS - Let me know if this discussion should move to the OSGeo data mailing list.
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