[OSGeo-Discuss] Candidate's Thoughts on OSGeo

Fri Aug 5 17:25:51 PDT 2011

hi Tyler,

Despite some thoughts below might not be new in north hemisphere,
there goes my Latin American user vision:

#OSGeo is already inside the minds of power GIS users and GIS
developers, we already know like things work and how/what to be done
to work. Now maybe is the time to make OSGeo more visible and
understood by users
##ok, it's a long process but it has to begin. eg.: general population
already knows that "oh Linux? yes, I got. It's free of charge right?"
and some commercial users, after 2008 economical crisis plus
web2/social networking boom, already got that it's not just a matter
of cost, but also because free/opensource tool will not make a big
change of architecture, basic concepts/structures without talking to
users ( eg.: MapServer mapfile programming structure is almost the
same since it was born, but in some commercial tools things may change
a lot in minor/major releases)
##these same end-users ( including independent workers, commercial
users) must to see that F4G platform can help SERVICES market: helping
to cut costs on software acquisition ( smaller total project/service
costs) and making service providers FREE from this or that software
supplier ( and to help services market is help on job opportunities
too... a cool social role of foss and foundations)
##and maybe one way to help on that is to make more SOLUTION cases
visible. First step is to prove that existing foss technology works
and this is done. The step to enforce is to 'sell the fish' that
integration with commercial solutions is possible and support on foss
communities can even be better/faster than commercial support centers.
##certification and stamp matters: for corporate communities/users is
important to ensure that this or that software/solution have an "OSGeo
certified stamp". There are a lot of users that do not need more than
one or two softwares. And most of them is always looking for work with
only one, if possible. So, if the second tool the user will look for
also has the "osgeo stamp", user may feel better with that. In this
sense, a certification program (eg. Linux LPI) for professional geo
users is a plus too.
##interoperation: another oportunity maybe could be to insert OSGeo
stamp/talks on other kind of events - not only on GIS events but also
on business events ( logistics, environmental, agriculture, forestry,
mining, etc) with less tech language and more 'executive'
presentations
##inside corporate world, acronym like GeoBI, GeoETL, GeoEAI or GeoCRM
can take attention of sponsors ( managers, directors). And this will
also help on base techs projects advertising.
##OSGeo partnering with academia projects ( R&D) and private/publich
companies will always be welcome too.
#for the power user who follow planet OSGeo is not hard to get the 1st
contact with a new released tool. But, for the newcomers, a simple
setup can take a month or months. How to help on that? More docs (
'for dummy' guides, quick ref cards, process oriented manuals and not
only function guide/reference guide) and tutorials and this include
local references.
##and for translation tasks, I believe it's not only to do the
translation. But to adapt texts, images, data and senses can be a plus
on users influence
##tools such as surveys (online, magazines, collected on events) could
help to map local gap's and user desire/needs
#communication: I think local committees/communities should always be
in talk to international foundation goals and tasks and vice-versa.
Parallel initiatives such as local groups must be inserted/combined on
OSGeo projects/tasks - we should sum efforts and not divide. So, it's
important to highlight the benefits on working together OSGeo to these
parallel heads.

Ten or fifteen years ago I saw a lot of projects and services to be
killed because the lack of free options or free cases. Now, we have a
lot of options to replace or interoperate with. We need more
visibility, more users enabled to call the attention of other users.

best

Eduardo Patto Kanegae
http://www.webmapit.com

2011/8/5 Tyler Mitchell (OSGeo) <tmitchell at osgeo.org>:
> With a very encouraging list of nominees for the open board positions, it
> might help (at least me!) if some could share their thoughts about OSGeo and
> its future direction.
>
> As a potential director:
> * What important areas do you see OSGeo needing to fix or strive for in
> order to grow?
> * What challenges do you see for OSGeo in the short and long terms?
> * What kinds of goals do you have for the organisation? (It's not a
> presidential race, but curious on what you see as goals for the org).
> * What is needed for a board to be successful? ...For OSGeo to be a success?
> * Have you had to deal with similar challenges before?
> * Etc...
>
> I'm sure others have good questions too, but thought I'd share the ones on
> my mind based on my experience working alongside the board.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> Tyler
>
> _______________________________________________
> Discuss mailing list
> Discuss at lists.osgeo.org
> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>
>

2011/8/5 Tyler Mitchell (OSGeo) <tmitchell at osgeo.org>:
> With a very encouraging list of nominees for the open board positions, it
> might help (at least me!) if some could share their thoughts about OSGeo and
> its future direction.
>
> As a potential director:
> * What important areas do you see OSGeo needing to fix or strive for in
> order to grow?
> * What challenges do you see for OSGeo in the short and long terms?
> * What kinds of goals do you have for the organisation? (It's not a
> presidential race, but curious on what you see as goals for the org).
> * What is needed for a board to be successful? ...For OSGeo to be a success?
> * Have you had to deal with similar challenges before?
> * Etc...
>
> I'm sure others have good questions too, but thought I'd share the ones on
> my mind based on my experience working alongside the board.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> Tyler
>
> _______________________________________________
> Discuss mailing list
> Discuss at lists.osgeo.org
> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>
>

-- 
Eduardo Patto Kanegae
http://www.webmapit.com
+55(19)9610-8768