[OSGeo-Conf] FOSS4G Cookbook

Fri Oct 14 14:52:49 EDT 2011

I think the core issue is getting all the tools (abstract submission,
voting, talk scheduling, public website) to work with a single database
schema.  I doubt that we would have an easy time finding something already
created that meets all of the needs of the foss4g conferences, so it is
likely that several components would need to be customized.

I don't know the database details of the abstract submission, voting, and
public website components, but the system I created for scheduling the talks
(Django + sqlite) could be adapted to work with PostgreSQL or MySQL and a
differing database schema.  The system certainly helped me lay out the talk
schedule, but it isn't in a state that someone else could easily start using
it (unless they were a Django developer).  It would need some work...

- TylerE

On Fri, Oct 14, 2011 at 11:07 AM, Gavin <gavinjfleming at gmail.com> wrote:

> **
> The system we used for 2008 (http://pkp.sfu.ca/ocs/) was suggested by
> Tyler on this same basis - that it would be something to use and build on in
> future years. It is more geared towards academic conferences but has all the
> machinery for abstract submission, review, publishing etc.
>
> Whatever is chosen it then needs to be a requirement in RFPs that LOCs
> commit to using it and not doing their own thing.
>
> Gavin
>
>
>
> One other semi-related item that has been on my mind is extending the web
> site we put together this year, based on Drupal, for use in future years. It
> uses an open source conference management module but we only enabled some
> parts of that. It wouldn't be too much work to get Jonathan, who did the
> site for us, to extend the functionality so it could handle the whole
> abstract submission and selection process (but enough work that we would
> have to pay him something, as we did for his initial work).
>
>
>
>  Managing abstracts was a real pain for us this year with a lot of manual
> work to move them around through the process. They came in through one
> system, we did initial sorting in one spreadsheet, they went to Paul
> Ramsey's voting system then back into another spreadsheet which we couldn't
> easily cross-reference to the previous one, we did some duplicate checking
> in a separate database system, and ended up with two spreadsheets for the
> academic and main tracks, then at the end it was a lot of work to schedule
> the selected papers, notify people, and put the info on the web site. And
> then you have to manage the process of people dropping out and filling those
> slots. Having all these manual steps is very error prone too. Finally we now
> have the question of getting slides online, which would be much easier if
> people could upload their own, which they could if we were using this module
> fully.
>
>
>
>  This whole process would be massively streamlined if we used the
> conference management module the whole way through.
>
>
>
>  So anyway, I'm inclined to take a little money from the FOSS4G proceeds
> and get this done for the benefit of future FOSS4Gs. I think this would also
> be a tangible benefit that OSGeo could provide for people doing FOSS4G
> events (global or local) that would help justify the event contributing
> something back to OSGeo from the event proceeds (though that's a separate
> topic).
>
>
>
>  I'm not quite sure who (if anyone) I need to get permission from to do
> this. I would certainly welcome thoughts from this group. I can check with
> the board if the thought is that I need to do that. Or can just go ahead -
> the amount of money involved is small compared to other budget items I've
> been dealing with on FOSS4G. But obviously I only want to do it if others
> think it's a good idea.
>
>
>
>  Cheers,
>
>      Peter.
>
>
>  On Fri, Oct 14, 2011 at 4:52 AM, Cameron Shorter <
> cameron.shorter at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I suggest that we, the conference committee and interested people, should
> organically start building a FOSS4G Cookbook.
>
> The Cookbook should cover all the aspects of putting on a FOSS4G
> conference, including such things as:
>
> * Schedule coming up to the conference
> * Budget
> * Program
> * Web Site
> * Catering
> * Venue selection
>
> Initially much of the content for this cookbook can be drawn directly from
> Lessons Learned from previous years. As more events are run, I'd expect
> ideas to evolve and the Cookbook to grow with it.
>
> I see two key advantages of such a Cookbook:
>
> 1. Access to such information will make it much easier for someone to put
> on a FOSS4G conference
>
> 2. The Cookbook can be used as a baseline to guide deciding whether a
> conference may make use of the FOSS4G brand. This will help maintain the
> quality associated with the FOSS4G brand.
>
> Do others see value in building such a document?
> I'm assuming we should build the Cookbook as a wiki, but am happy to hear
> suggestions for other collaborative tools.
> If there is sufficient interest, I'll build a skeleton of the Cookbook, and
> invite others to contribute content.
>
> --
> Cameron Shorter
> Geospatial Solutions Manager
> Tel: +61 (0)2 8570 5050
> Mob: +61 (0)419 142 254
>
> Think Globally, Fix Locally
> Geospatial Solutions enhanced with Open Standards and Open Source
> http://www.lisasoft.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> Conference_dev mailing list
> Conference_dev at lists.osgeo.org
> http://lists.osgeo.org/<http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/conference_dev>
> mailman/listinfo/conference_<http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/conference_dev>
> dev <http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/conference_dev>
>
>
>
>  _______________________________________________
> Conference_dev mailing listConference_dev at lists.osgeo.orghttp://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/conference_dev
>
>
>
>   --
> Gavin Fleming
> t: 0218620670
> c: 0845965680
> f: 0866164820
> Paarl
> South Africa
> 18°59'18.8"E 33°44'40.2"S
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Conference_dev mailing list
> Conference_dev at lists.osgeo.org
> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/conference_dev
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/conference_dev/attachments/20111014/b314ee01/attachment-0001.html