[OSGeo-Conf] Fwd: FOSS4G 2007

[Tyler Mitchell]

On 28-Oct-06, at 2:18 AM, Arnulf Christl wrote:

> I would very
> much to keep a focus on educating people, removing their ignorance  
> of the
> issue and not fall into streamlined OSGeo promotion as yet another  
> Open
> Source blabla.

Here's my attempt to sum up the debates, so we can move forward.

I see this debate as not about names as much as it is about purpose.   
What I'm taking home from it is that we have a diversity of purpose  
and focus in mind for OSGeo (and its conference).  I don't think this  
is a bad thing but I admit that I have simply taken for granted that  
we all had the same focus in mind for OSGeo and that it includes all  
walks of "Free" and "Open Source" concepts.  I don't see OSGeo as  
particularly representing one or the other, but as both and more.

There is obviously a strong group within OSGeo that has a clear  
commitment specifically to FOSS but sees OSGeo as not effectively  
representing that community.  I believe this group needs to help  
educate the rest of us about the unique needs of that community  
before debates like this start again in some other corner.  Let's try  
to bridge this gap so that our philosophies are not portrayed as so  
polarised (I don't believe they truly are).

It also seems to me that we need to recognise this diversity amongst  
us and try to make it more constructive than either view can do on  
its own.  Perhaps this means excluding both FOSS4G and OSGeo as the  
conference name so that no one 'wins' (though I admit I assumed  
OSGeo's mission covered FOSS objectives already).

FOSGeo '07 ? FOSSGeo '07 ?  Free Spatial '07 ?  For the sake of  
unity, I could live with any name, but I would like to encourage  
further communication from the FOSS end of things in some other venue  
(discuss list?) so we know what you mean at an ideological level,  
without taking it for granted.  I think this will help everyone learn  
more about each other and what is near and dear to their philosophies.

Fortunately, I'm not on the conference committee, so naming votes  
will be up to the rest of you.  Whew :)

Tyler