[OSGeo-Conf] The Funding Problem

[Markus Neteler]

On Mon, Oct 6, 2008 at 2:33 AM, Paul Ramsey <pramsey at cleverelephant.ca> wrote:
>>> No, what is "the funding problem" and what would a solution look like?

Many people cannot invest 1-2k USD for such a conference, all inclusive.

...
> If people start popping up and offering to organize and host a North
> American or European "technical get together" I don't think anyone
> will seriously tell them "no". About the only pointed comment I can
> imagine would be "hold it in the spring so it's not directly next to
> FOSS4G".
>
> But people aren't offering to put these things on, that I have seen?

Sure:
- FOSSGIS in Germany
- GFOSS in Italy
- ...

Only, they are (not yet) declared as OSGeo conferences.
Hundreds of participants are there.

> I'm more concerned that, globally, we'll run out of FOSS4G hosters in
> the next couple rounds.

The reason might be that there is the wish of ever growth which
will be hard to handle for a couple of potential hosters.
Eg. 500 people is already a large amount of people to deal with.

> Anyways, this is the origin of my (received-as-hostile) comment to

.. the sounds make the music...

> Markus that, if he is not seeing what he wants in the current set of
> conferences, to step up and put on one he wants to see. I wanted to
> see FOSS4G put on in a particular way, because I thought doing so
> would establish a model that others would then want to follow, so I
> got it and put it on. Just like in the software, the idea is "show me,
> don't tell me".

Well, Paul. I think that's not the point here. But I give up.

> A cheap, regional, technically oriented conference can be put on right
> now, and we don't need to muck w/ FOSS4G to do it. Pick some dates in
> the spring, and put it on.

As mentioned it already, in Germany and Italy we are doing it for YEARS.
Yes, for 10 years. Yes, with sponsors, booth and everything.
Only the OSGeo disclaimer isn't there. Maybe you just look up our
web sites to discover...

If you suggest to declare these conference series as official
OSGeo regional conference, I can follow up with the organizers and
OSGeo to change the conference title.

Next conference, as candidate: 25 - 27 feb 2009
"X Meeting degli utenti italiani GRASS e GFOSS"
http://gfoss2009.crs4.it/

> It won't interfere unduly with FOSS4G and
> if that kind of thing is roaringly successful we might find ourselves
> stopping the FOSS4G train because the other conferences are so darn
> good. Show us.

I think I don't want to answer to this sort of comment. I just feel that
you quite exaggerate. I brought up a *personal* opinion and did
not say that "your" conference was crap (haven't been there) nor
that FOSS4G2008 was bad - it was good! But things evolve and
so we should do... I try to extrapolate to 2010+ (see my first posting).
I guess we should learn from the past.

Note that both GFOSS and FOSSGIS conferences take place many
months before the OSGeo main conference, so not much conflict there.

Paul, perhaps I should just unsubscribe here. I don't need this sort of
discussion *style*. I tried to be as "neutral" as possible, apparently I failed.
Have a cooler day,

Markus