[OSGeo-Discuss] Can we use a LiveDVD for workshops and labs at FOSS4G 2009?

[Daniel P. Ames]

Hi folks.  As you all know, there is a growing interest in open source for Windows. Especially with Microsoft's release of its developer tools in free "express" editions and the availability of such tools as SharpDevelop and Mono.  

MapWindow is .NET based and the bulk of our developers and users are strictly MS based.  I don't think this makes them any less human, it just says that their threshold for open source is set such that a $90 Windows operating system is considered acceptable but a $10000 GIS is not.  

We had a great turnout at the MapWindow lab and worshop in South Africa and got lots of "hey it's great to see .NET open source GIS here" comments.  So, call us mudbloods, but it's an approach that we see has a huge added value for lots of folks.  Bottom line, if having Windows on some lab computers doesn't add a huge expense, then we'd hope that Windows based labs and/or workshops would be encouraged.

Indeed, consider the opportunities for demonstrating QGIS and GRASS and others on Windows to help convert Linux avoiders over to OSGeo.

- Dan

-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Patton <davep at confluence.org>
Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2008 3:02 PM
To: OSGeo Discussions <discuss at lists.osgeo.org>
Subject: Re: [OSGeo-Discuss] Can we use a LiveDVD for workshops and labs at FOSS4G 2009?

On 2008/10/19 1:30 PM, Cameron Shorter wrote:
> I'm wondering whether it will be achievable and desirable to use a 
> GeoFOSS LiveDVD as the only installed operating system at workshops
> and labs at FOSS4G 2009.

> So my questions to communities are:
> 
> Do you and your project think you would commit to packaging your
> project into a debian based LiveDVD before FOSS4G in October 2009?
> 
> For presenters, would you want to add tutorial material to the
> LiveDVD, which would mean using an Open licence like Creative
> Commons?

I would start by asking a different question - does anyone
foresee any issue with not having MS Windows available as
an option for Workshops/Labs for FOSS4G 2009?

We might not want to restrict the discussion to "OSGeo projects".
What if a Sponsor, or Exhibitor, or 'some software company', or
'some non-OSGeo project' submitted a proposal to deliver a
Workshop/Lab, and it merited consideration for inclusion in the
conference, but it required MS Windows?

Were there Workshops/Labs at FOSS4G 2008 that could not have
been delivered without having MS Windows?

If we assume that there was 'some need' for MS Windows for
FOSS4G 2009, but that it wasn't needed for "all the PCs",
how would people react to Workshops/Labs that required
MS Windows also requiring a higher registration fee?
(i.e. higher by the incremental cost of the license to
use MS Windows on the PC for the Workshop/Lab)


P.S.
It helps if everyone uses the term "Instructors" when
referring to Workshops/Labs, because "Presenter" makes
people think of "Presentations", and sometimes that
causes confusion.

-- 
Dave Patton
CIS Canadian Information Systems
Victoria, B.C.

Degree Confluence Project:
Canadian Coordinator
Technical Coordinator
http://www.confluence.org/

OSGeo FOSS4G2007 conference:
Workshop Committee Chair
Conference Committee member
http://www.foss4g2007.org/

Personal website:
Maps, GPS, etc.
http://members.shaw.ca/davepatton/
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