[OSGeo-Discuss] Re: FOSS4G 2007 Workshop Submission

[Paul Ramsey]

I'm sorry, but I don't have many other doors to open, and I cannot 
imagine you truly expected me to find alternative arrangements for all 
22 3-hour workshops that did not make the 12.  For every point 
("GeoNetwork is an OSGeo project") there is a counterpoint ("MapWindow 
is a popular project you OSGeo guys are ignoring!").

I have enough computers for 6 labs, which translates to 12 sessions.  In 
order to make EVEN MORE room we added the "short" format, now known as 
"labs", which added another 16 slots (2 tracks throughout the 
presentation portion of the conference). And we gave submitters the 
option of choosing which formats they felt they could use.

The long-format workshops had to be chosen and slotted ahead of 
registration because people are going to be PAYING for them, and we want 
them to get what they request. Perhaps next year the organizers can 
attempt Dan's choose-first-optimize-later approach, which has the 
benefit of reflecting actual demand from attendees and the drawback of 
higher organizational complexity.

The short format labs are not going to be scheduled until the program is 
made in July, and therefore subject to more potential change, should 
someone drop out of that list.

Paul

Jeroen Ticheler wrote:
> Hi Paul,
> Hard not to be frustrated if I look at the closed ranking/review 
> process, the final list that includes non-OSGEO workshops and the fact 
> that no consultation has taken place with workshop submitters on 
> possible alternatives. Just the blunt email that closes the door.
> Jeroen
> 
> On Mar 29, 2007, at 4:29 PM, Paul Ramsey wrote:
> 
>> Jeroen,
>>
>> I appreciate your frustration, and I know it is shared by many others, 
>> as only 12 of the 34 3-hour workshop submissions could be hosted.  The 
>> criteria the workshop committee used in their evaluation are here:
>>
>> http://wiki.osgeo.org/index.php/FOSS4G2007_Workshops#Criteria_used_by_the_workshop_committee_to_review_workshop_submissions 
>>
>>
>> All the committee members ranked the submissions on those criteria and 
>> the rankings were averaged.  Two workshops in the top 12 that were 
>> topic duplicates were removed and the next-lowest-ranked 
>> non-duplicates were moved up.  It appears that being on the committee 
>> is no guarantee of satisfaction with the final result. The average of 
>> a bunch of lists people want is a list that no one is 100% happy with.
>>
>> Paul
>>
>> On 28-Mar-07, at 10:36 PM, Jeroen Ticheler wrote:
>>
>>> Dear people,
>>>
>>> Thank you for your information. I have to say I find that pretty 
>>> frustrating and annoying knowing that GeoNetwork opensource is one of 
>>> the incubator projects of OSGEO, the number of OSGEO projects is 
>>> (still) limited and FOSS4G is the OSGEO conference.
>>>
>>> Participating with the project in OSGEO has multiple reasons, one of 
>>> them being that it provides opportunities to work on synergies and 
>>> work on marketing the OSGEO software stack. Now how does the intent 
>>> of OSGEOs mission fit with refusing a (single) workshop on one of its 
>>> projects. Maybe I miss something, but I'd assumed there was at least 
>>> some kind of a relation!?
>>>
>>> Looking forward to some good feedback and discussion on this, also on 
>>> the OSGEO mailing list as I consider that discussion very relevant in 
>>> the further development of outreach strategies for ourselves and the 
>>> OSGEO foundation through conferences.
>>>
>>> Core question:
>>>
>>> "Should OSGEO projects have guaranteed workshop and presentation 
>>> space for at least one session?"
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>> Jeroen
>>>
>>> On Mar 28, 2007, at 5:58 PM, FOSS4G 2007 wrote:
>>>
>>>> Dear Jeroen Ticheler,
>>>>
>>>> We regret to inform you that we will not be able to accept your Half 
>>>> Day
>>>> workshop, "Using the GeoNetwork opensource Spatial Data Catalog", 
>>>> for the
>>>> FOSS4G 2007 program.  We had a very large number of submissions this 
>>>> year, and
>>>>  have been able to accept less than half of them
>>>> .
>>>>
>>>> We hope you will consider bringing some of your ideas to the 
>>>> conference in the
>>>>  form of a presentation. The Call for Presentations is currently 
>>>> open, and
>>>> there is room for 120 presentations at the conference this year
>>>> .
>>>>
>>>> http://www.foss4g2007.org/presentations
>>>>
>>>> Yours,
>>>>
>>>> The FOSS4G 2007 Conference Committee
>>>>
>>>
>>
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> 
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   Paul Ramsey
   Refractions Research
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