[Conference-europe] when and where

[Mateusz Łoskot]

On 22 August 2014 11:00, Jachym Cepicky <jachym.cepicky at gmail.com> wrote:
> 2014-08-22 9:37 GMT+02:00 Johan Van de Wauw <johan.vandewauw at gmail.com>:
>> On Fri, Aug 22, 2014 at 2:24 AM, Karel Charvat <charvat at ccss.cz> wrote:
>>> I think, that umber of attendants is something, what is difficult predictable. Not so easy to reach 200 attendants.
>>>
>>> I am all time thinking, how to do something, what could attract larger community. It seems to me, that till now we didn't succeed to attract commercial sector to broader participation. Seems to me, that maximum 5 - 10 percent of companies, who are using Open Source GI technologies, are participating on such events.
>>>
>>> More and more of so called Apps developers including independent developers is out of communities very often utilising other products or starting from scratch.  Seems for me critical, how to attract people.
>>
>> I agree with Karel a lot. Compared to Foss4G in Nottingham I found
>> Bremen quite "academic". I don't think we need a separate commercial
>> track, but I think we should be able to attrack more "commercial"
>> people.
>
> Rather business than commercial (just words, I know)

Yes, I started wondering if we all mean the same.
To me:

FOSS4G + commercial = uses of FOSS4G in commercial solutions (i.e. use
FOSS4G to make
money through integration, bundles, support, etc./)

FOSS4G + proprietary = similar, but slightly different as it means
direct inclusion of FOSS4G
(where licence allows) in proprietary software solutions (i.e. I sell
my application X which uses GDAL)

Finally, we have general issue of FOSS4G vs business which to me
covers (FOSS4G + commercial) + (FOSS4G + proprietary)

IMHO, it's important to discuss such differences as one may ask: can I
present, at the FOSS4G Europe,
my proprietary software based on OSGeo projects, explain why I use it,
and how I contribute back to Open Source?

Such questions may help to shape the major objectives of the event.

>> * The keynotes: I think we could get a better mix. Now there was no
>> keynote from an open source project, which could probably attract more
>> people. 2 were academic (or seem so when reading the website).
>
> It was at university, yes, it was a bit academic, but please, do not
> judge local organisation committee. It was presenters, who submitted
> the talks.

Good point Jachym

>> A lot of this is about the "image" of the conference, rather than the
>> actual content. I should add that I think this is something where this
>> group could be working on. Take some of the burden from the local
>> organisation away (so they can focus on the venue, ...). Website,
>> programme, sponsors are items which perhaps don't have to be run only
>> by the local organisers.
>
> This is what I'm asking for: hey guys, what should the conference look
> like, so its "ours" and we like it?

To the point, but it's gonna be tough to answer :)

Best regards,
-- 
Mateusz  Łoskot, http://mateusz.loskot.net