[OSGeo-Conf] "OSGeo Teach-in

[Cameron Shorter]

Paul,
Having the conference committee draft a proposal is an appropriate forum.
Has anyone volunteered or started on this yet?

PS, I should note that my ethical arguments very conveniently align with 
my commercial interests as LISAsoft would likely be able to present Open 
Content training sessions.

Paul Ramsey wrote:
> The board has already made a decision: to ask the conference committee
> to develop a policy. Unless or until the conference committee delivers
> a draft policy back to the board, there won't be any further
> decisions, I imagine.
>
> I'm not going to make an effort to publicize a spat over an event, I
> would much rather spend my credibility budget publicizing the event
> itself, once I know exactly what it is going to be called, where it
> will be and when it will be.
>
> If you are wondering what kind of reception it will get, note that the
> two variants of response so far have been:
>
> "That's a great idea!" and
> "That's a great idea, but I have philosophical objections!"
>
> Everyone has a different philosophical objection, so I have reconciled
> myself that I am not going to be able to meet everyone's bottom line.
> Jo and Markus want something European. Arnulf wants nothing commercial
> under the OSGeo banner. You want creative commons materials. Someone
> else wants student scholarships.
>
> I, however, don't want to please everyone, just the 300 people who
> come to the event, who I want to experience well-developed material,
> in a professional setting, from the properly compensated people who
> know the topic, and send them home thinking "wasn't that great!".  If
> OSGeo is unwilling to RECEIVE $10000 to be associated with such an
> event, so be it.
>
> P.
>
> On Mon, Jun 9, 2008 at 1:47 PM, Cameron Shorter
> <cameron.shorter at gmail.com> wrote:
>   
>> Paul and others on the board,
>>
>> I feel strongly about my statements in this thread and would like to see
>> broad community discussion before the board makes a decision. I suggest
>> using OSGeo-Discuss or your blog. I would like to blog on the topic but it
>> would be inappropriate of me to do so without first giving Paul the option
>> to announce his training session and start the thread.
>>
>> Paul, if you plan to pursue a proprietary model for presentation content,
>> could you please make a broader announcement about your ideas.
>>
>> Cameron Shorter wrote:
>>     
>>> Paul, I want to preface my email by noting that I'm very hopeful that you
>>> are able to build a successful "Teach In" conference series and that it is
>>> very lucrative for you. Where possible, I want to help make it happen for
>>> you, and ensure the OSGeo community maximises the value offered at the same
>>> time.
>>>
>>> There is nothing wrong with using a proprietary business model for your
>>> conferences. You put in the effort building the content, you have every
>>> right to sell it.
>>>
>>> However, I feel that OSGeo would be selling out on its principles if it
>>> were to actively support a proprietary business model. In particular, a
>>> proprietary tutorials program will likely undermine the effectiveness of
>>> OSGeo's education program as potential sponsors of the education program
>>> turn to the proprietary material, and contributors produce proprietary
>>> content instead of open content.
>>>
>>> Open Source has a very effective community marketing value which I
>>> understand you want to tap into, but I feel you need to make a choice.
>>> Either:
>>> 1. Go open, and make use of the OSGeo brand, or
>>> 2. Go proprietary, and build your own brand.
>>>
>>> (A side note, I wouldn't under estimate your personal "rock star" drawing
>>> appeal).
>>>
>>> Paul Ramsey wrote:
>>>       
>>>> On Fri, Jun 6, 2008 at 3:16 PM, Cameron Shorter
>>>> <cameron.shorter at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>         
>>>>> * The proposal is missing one of the key elements of the Open Source
>>>>> Business model. Ie, all material used for the "teach in" should be
>>>>> provided
>>>>> for free under an open license. Conference organisors can sell their
>>>>> services (as presenters).
>>>>>
>>>>>           
>>>> You go first. I'm not giving away 4 hours of workshop materials for
>>>> $3K. I'm not a rock star, I hold no illusions that people are coming
>>>> to the workshop to see *me*. The Open Source business model is that
>>>> the *source* is open, and something else is not
>>>> (http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/magic-cauldron/).
>>>>
>>>> P.
>>>>
>>>>         
>>>       
>> --
>> Cameron Shorter
>> Geospatial Systems Architect
>> Tel: +61 (0)2 8570 5050
>> Mob: +61 (0)419 142 254
>>
>> Think Globally, Fix Locally
>> Commercial Support for Geospatial Open Source Solutions
>> http://www.lisasoft.com/LISAsoft/SupportedProducts.html
>>
>>
>>     


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

Think Globally, Fix Locally
Commercial Support for Geospatial Open Source Solutions
http://www.lisasoft.com/LISAsoft/SupportedProducts.html