[OSGeo-Discuss] Usage of 'FOSS4G' in webpages?

[Simon Cropper]

Hi Just & others commenting on a suitable acronym,

On Friday 15 October 2010 10:09:24 pm Just van den Broecke wrote:
> Yes, IMO we need a term for the specific subdomain of FOSS we are all
> involved in. I started using "FOSS4G" in presentations and with
> customers lately as I understood (after consulting, I think with Arnulf)
> that would cover it. The term "GFOSS" I see used sparingly (and there is
> also a "GFOSS Conference"
> http://antonakoglou.com/2010/05/16/gfoss-conference-2010).
> 
> I really would like to see a single acronym (so my family & friends can
> Google on what I am working in :-)). FOSS4G/GFOSS/GeoFOSS/GOSS are
> candidates. Something with "GIS" (have seen OSGIS, FOSSGIS, OpenGIS)
> seems to be indicating "privative" (closed) software but is understood
> by a wider audience. (As is Open Source over FOSS but that was already a
> heated debate..).
> 
> Suggestion: have a poll and settle on an acronym and spread it ?
> 
> best,
> 
> --Just

Although some have suggested using FOSS4G, I have found that this seems now to 
be intrinsically linked to the conference - for better or worse.

My current working title is using fosGIS, i.e. Free & Open Source Geographical 
Information Systems. The term meant to target the use of software for the 
analysis of geospatial data. (note the second 's' in foss is redundant as GIS 
defines the term accordingly). I have styled the text so the 'fos' is 
lowercase, italics and slightly raised (see attachement).

For the record, my tutorial collection will be named... 

"The fosGIS Workflow Guide - A guide to the use of FOSS to view, edit, create, 
analyse and map geospatial data" (c) Simon Cropper 2010 CC-BY 3.0 Australia

Anyone have a problem with this?

I know it is all encompassing but that's the aim. Although I will be focussing 
primarily on gvSIG, I am also intending to reproduce tasks in other software 
packages. I hope also that others will contribute either through translations 
or new contributions or regional derivatives.

-- 
Cheers Simon

     Simon Cropper 
     Botanicus Australia Pty Ltd
     PO Box 160, Sunshine, Victoria 3020.
     P: 9311 5822. M: 041 830 3437.
     mailto: scropper at botanicusaustralia.com.au 
     web: www.botanicusaustralia.com.au 


(C) Simon Cropper 2010. Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Australia
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