[OSGeo-Discuss] Re: Sign the Hague declaration

[P Kishor]

On 5/14/08, Michael P. Gerlek <mpg at lizardtech.com> wrote:
> I'm not looking to start a debate, but...
>

you just did, and a good one at that.

>  >> We call on all governments to:
>  >>
>  >>   1. Procure only information technology that implements free and
>  open standards;
>  >>   2. Deliver e-government services based exclusively on free and open
>  standards;
>  >>   3. Use only free and open digital standards in their own
>  activities.
>  >>
>
>  I'm certainly sympathetic to the desires this declaration seems to
>  express, but this seems to go too far by using words like "only" and
>  "exclusively".

indeed. As much as an open source advocate, proponent and practitioner
I have, I see little positive effect that this declaration would have.
In all likelihood, it would further brand us as zealots.

I thought "us" or "them" went out the window a few years ago when we
realized that working together is better.

"free and open digital standards" is all well and good but a
meaningless concept. Standard for what?


>
>  There are undoubtedly cases where extant open standards are not as
>  mature, stable, featureful, mission-safe, etc, as the relevant
>  proprietary solutions, and so as a pragmatic matter governments must
>  rely on the proprietary works in those cases.
>
>
>  -mpg
>
>
>
>
>
>  > -----Original Message-----
>  > From: discuss-bounces at lists.osgeo.org
>  > [mailto:discuss-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of Chris Puttick
>  > Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 11:28 AM
>  > To: discuss at lists.osgeo.org
>  > Subject: [OSGeo-Discuss] Re: Sign the Hague declaration
>  >
>  > Hi all
>  >
>  > A new group is being formed to promote open digital
>  > standards, starting with a declaration regarding the
>  > importance of digital standards being truly open:
>  >
>  > http://www.digistan.org/hague-declaration:en
>  >
>  > Please read it and sign if you agree. I'm sure most working
>  > with spatial data would have encountered problems with the
>  > core areas where standards are missing or not being supported
>  > properly. Think GIS projects. Or CAD. I'm sure there are others...
>  >
>  > Cheers
>  >
>  > Chris
>  >
>  >
>  > ------
>  > Files attached to this email may be in ISO 26300 format
>  > (OASIS Open Document Format). If you have difficulty opening
>  > them, please visit http://iso26300.info for more information.
>  >
>  > _______________________________________________
>  > Discuss mailing list
>  > Discuss at lists.osgeo.org
>  > http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>  >
>  _______________________________________________
>  Discuss mailing list
>  Discuss at lists.osgeo.org
>  http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>


-- 
Puneet Kishor http://punkish.eidesis.org/
Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies http://www.nelson.wisc.edu/
Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo) http://www.osgeo.org/