[OSGeo-Discuss] Next 5 years for OSGeo

[Christopher Schmidt]

On Wed, Sep 30, 2009 at 02:57:15PM +0000, Chris Puttick wrote:
> 
> ----- "P Kishor" <punk.kish at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > 2009/9/30 Cédric Moullet <cedric.moullet at camptocamp.com>:
> > ..
> > > - The OSGEO is very developer centric and probably need more input
> > from
> > > management, end user, marketing etc...
> > ..
> > 
> > noooooooooo!
> > 
> > Let our work, and not marketers and management, speak for us.
> > 
> 
> Speak to whom? Decision makers with no real knowledge of the thing they are
> signing off on, being advised by lazy people who have some understanding but
> want to ensure they cover their back and don't have to try too hard rather
> than implement the best solution for the least money?

No, to the lazy people. If your code is good enough, then the right way -- 
even the lazy way -- will be the Open Source way. In order to really succeed,
I think you need to make it so that organizations which aren't already 
entrenched see your software as the best tool for the job. Once you
do that, the 'lazy' people you're talking about here see it, and use it,
over the proprietary solutions.

Obviously, for organizations which are already entrenched, this is a more
difficult task, and I think that that's a case where OSGeo can support
more educational efforts, but the software really has to stand on its own
before marketing will be successful with the type of people your'e talking 
about, in my opinion.

> Trust me, the mean and nasty marketing and management types can be a force
> for the good, and one *every* open source project needs to thrive.

I agree that *communication* -- spun as 'marketing', or many other
things -- is neccesary for the sake of Open Source projects. However, to 
go back to my earlier statements: I think that OSGeo can be a supportive
force in that direction, but the effort really needs to come from participants
in the project who have their own reputation built into the project. 
The motivation just isn't there otherwise.

Regards,
-- 
Christopher Schmidt
Web Developer