[OSGeo-Conf] The Funding Problem

[Frank Warmerdam]

On Mon, Oct 6, 2008 at 11:43 AM, Eric Wolf <ebwolf at gmail.com> wrote:
...
> Unfortunately, these people are pretty widespread and more likely to
> be outside the USA. That's a good thing - because Geography is what
> this is all about. But that also means the conference needs to move
> around.
>
> I believe OSGeo provides some structure for local and regional
> organizations and there's nothing that says a regional organization
> can't setup a smaller conference. But it's important to have a big
> conference and that conference has to move around. And what we are
> doing is changing too quickly for the big conference to occur less
> than every year.

Eric,

Some good points, thanks.

I agree that we need a solid "main" conference where we hope
we can get a good representation of contributors from many
projects in one place at one time.

I don't think the split conference (business/geek) idea would
be practical.  As mentioned, I think the low-geek business
conference would wither.  But it is helpful to consider alternatives.

I think we do need to keep moving around, though hopefully
also realizing that distance does impede attendance and the
goal of having a critical mass of contributors.

I am personally receptive to proposals that are somewhat less
professional (ie. conference center based, pricey) than Victoria,
Capetown and Sydney have been (or will be), but lowering
conference fees does not make flights or hotels cheaper.
Choice of venue, and deliberately low priced accomodation
options (ie. dorms for instance) can be helpful.

I think local conferences (ie. FOSSGIS, Geocamp) are good,
but they don't really replace the need I have for a meeting of
the tribes.

I think we have some tension based on what different people
hope to get from FOSS4G on professionalness vs. cheapness.
I think we need to work to serve both ends to the extent possible
with the understanding that things will be influenced by the
kind of conference that the LOC wants to put on from year to
year.

Lets also keep in mind that we are all friends here.

Best regards,

-- 
---------------------------------------+--------------------------------------
I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam at pobox.com
light and sound - activate the windows | http://pobox.com/~warmerdam
and watch the world go round - Rush    | Geospatial Programmer for Rent