[OSGeo-Conf] The Funding Problem

[Paul Ramsey]

If the way I am communicating is stressful to you, I think it would be
better than I shut up, than you leave.  Perhaps someone else would go
back to the root e-mail and re-engage?

http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/conference_dev/2008-October/000707.html

P.

On Mon, Oct 6, 2008 at 5:22 AM, Markus Neteler <neteler at osgeo.org> wrote:
> 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
>