Certification commitee

[Helton Uchoa]

Hi,

In the first meeting of OSGeo (in Chicago), I suggested (by IRC) the 
creation of certification to OSGeo projects. By IRC some informations 
showed the discuss about this issue, but no information was published 
after meeting.

I have some ideas to share and a suggestion to create a commitee.

Why is important to create a certification to OSGeo projects?
- The certification is a technical way to define a initial prerequisites 
to contract a professional. Sometimes It can't define a good 
professional, but It can be a good "indicator" when the certification 
process has quality. I have talked about this question with Daniel 
Morissette and Arnulf in Brazil (MapServer User Meeting).
- It can be a way to make money to OSGeo (maybe not a big, but one 
additional source).
- It will be a way to show a "more corporate" picture of FOSS GIS. So It 
will help companies (that works with FOSS) in marketing of its 
products/solutions: Open Source X "Well-known marks". One of questions 
that the OpenGEO's customers have made in fisrt contact is: "... there 
are many professionals to ESRI solutions, but how many professionals can 
work with MapServer (or another FOSS) in Brazil?". With certification we 
can have a precision answer.

Local concerns: in brazil, the FOSS had grown fast in government 
deparments. The federal law to contract services or buy anything defines 
that must exist a logical (not abstract) procedure to define a 
qualification of companies and professionals to make a technical 
service. So, certifications (like LPI, Java, etc) have been widely used 
to define the level of qualification. I don't known how this process 
works in another places, but I believe that OSGeo Certification is a 
demand on Brazil.

[]s

Uchoa

-- 
Helton UCHOA :: uchoa@{opengeo.com.br;geolivre.org.br;open3dgis.org}
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