[OSGeo-Discuss] Invitation to participate in the OSGeo membership consultations

Mon Aug 3 09:44:12 PDT 2015

+1 Frank's statement is exactly what I would like to see also.

-Steve

On 8/3/2015 12:39 PM, Frank Warmerdam wrote:
> Folks,
>
> For what it's worth, I also do not feel comfortable with completing
> the survey as it is currently structured as the structure forces me to
> give answers that don't really represent my views.
>
> For what it's worth I am in favor of:
>   - a modest number of charter members using something like the current process
>   - open membership
>   - no manditory membership fees
>   - make every effort to treat regular members the same as charter
> members except for the minimum voting stuff required to be legally
> distinct.
>
> Best regards,
> Frank
>
>
>
> On Mon, Aug 3, 2015 at 8:13 AM, Jim Klassen <klassen.js at gmail.com> wrote:
>> I have been involved in the MapServer and GeoMoose projects since before
>> OSGeo existed.  I remember the founding of OSGeo and the heated
>> discussions that took place to define the direction OSGeo would take.
>> The future of OSGeo and how it interacts with its members is very
>> important to me.
>>
>> However, as a charter member, this current discussion and particularly
>> the survey has me confused as to how I should respond.
>>
>> For starters: Should I be taking the survey now or waiting for it to be
>> improved?  Where are the results of this survey going?  Does this survey
>> count as an official vote(s)?
>>
>> On 08/03/2015 05:16 AM, Vasile Craciunescu wrote:
>>> Dear Bruce, Steve, Even, Peter, Dan and others,
>>>
>>> Sorry for replying so late. I'm in vacation with limited Internet
>>> access. Personally, I agree with many of your points. However, as
>>> Steven already pointed out, we had a few days of open discussions on
>>> the survey before sending to our Charter members. Somehow I expected
>>> that our Charter members are subscribed on the discuss and board
>>> mailing list and following the topics there. Perhaps we need a
>>> dedicated mailing list for our Charter members or the invitation to
>>> comment on the survey should be also sent individually to all our
>>> Charter members. Not sure about the right approach. Anyway, please
>>> keep in mind that this is the first time we are polling our members
>>> and we still have to learn and adjust our communication skills.
>>>
>>> Now, regarding the survey. The main point was to find the best method
>>> to select our Charter members. This is an ongoing discussion for many
>>> years. The survey included the previous voting options and some new
>>> proposals. Then, some people suggested to use this opportunity to
>>> include additionally questions regarding the future of OSGeo
>>> membership. That's how the survey was created. The survey is really
>>> flawed if is not connected with the discussions on the "board" and
>>> "discuss" mailing lists. Different people, different angles, different
>>> opinions... But only a fraction of our members expressed their
>>> ideas/questions/opinions before assembling the survey. That's why the
>>> survey looks heterogeneous. I did my best to merge similar topics and
>>> not to include redundant questions. I also did not remove any question
>>> based on my own judgement. Anyway, I find this exercise very useful
>>> for our community. We should discuss further to keep our organization
>>> on the right track.
>>>
>>> Warm regards from the sunny Black Sea coast!
>>> Vasile
>>>
>>> PS I'm slowly catching up will all the emails on this thread (most of
>>> them privately sent). I'll get back when I have the full picture.
>>>
>>> On 7/31/15 3:07 AM, Bruce Bannerman wrote:
>>>> Hi Vassile,
>>>>
>>>> This survey appears to be flawed.
>>>>
>>>> I applaud your efforts to bring this issue to a head, but I'm not
>>>> convinced
>>>> that we'll get valid results from the survey.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> In my case:
>>>>
>>>> I believe that there should be open membership for any interested,
>>>> perhaps
>>>> with a membership fee.
>>>>
>>>> I also see the value of recognising key contributors voted through some
>>>> meritocracy process as the current Charter Membership allows, with this
>>>> group having a voting responsibility. This is in essence not very
>>>> different
>>>> from the concept of a 'committers' group within an open source
>>>> project. I
>>>> don't really care if the name 'Charter Membership' is changed.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> However the survey appears to lead people into a binary situation where
>>>> they believe in 'open' or 'closed' with 'closed' apparently assigned to
>>>> those favouring 'Charter Membership'.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> For example:
>>>>
>>>> I'd like to vote NO to 'Should OSGeo move from the actual elected
>>>> Charter
>>>> member model to an (open) regular membership?'
>>>>
>>>> But, YES to 'If you agree with the OSGeo regular membership, do you also
>>>> agree with a low annual membership fee?'
>>>>
>>>> However, I'm precluded from doing so, because I answered NO to Q1.
>>>>
>>>> For Question 4, I would like to answer both:
>>>>
>>>> - YES for Open, in the context that everyone interested should be
>>>> able to
>>>> participate in discussions and the OSGeo Community (perhaps having
>>>> paid a
>>>> membership fee); and
>>>>
>>>> - YES for 'Closed', in the context of key votes being subject to the
>>>> equivalent of a 'Committers' list where people have been voted in
>>>> through
>>>> some meritocracy process.
>>>>
>>>> - However, I can only choose one or the other!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I haven't read the remaining questions at this stage, given the flawed
>>>> questions at the beginning.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I apologise if you had sent this out for review earlier. I have not been
>>>> following this debate closely as this type of membership noise pops
>>>> up on a
>>>> regular basis.
>>>>
>>>> However, when this proceeds to a vote of the OSGeo Charter membership, I
>>>> need to register a comment.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> For consideration.
>>>>
>>>> Bruce
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> From: Vasile Crăciunescu <cro at osgeo.org>
>>>>> Reply-To: Vasile Crăciunescu <cro at osgeo.org>
>>>>> Date: Thursday, 30 July 2015 23:52
>>>>> To: Bruce Bannerman <>
>>>>> Subject: Invitation to participate in the OSGeo membership
>>>>> consultations
>>>>>
>>>>> Dear Bruce,
>>>>>
>>>>> As an existing OSGeo Charter Member, you have been invited to
>>>>> participate
>>>>> in the 2015 OSGeo membership consultations.
>>>>>
>>>>> To participate, please click on the link below.
>>>>>
>>>>> Sincerely,
>>>>>
>>>>> Vasile ()
>>>>>
>>>>> ----------------------------------------------
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
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