[OSGeo-Discuss] OSGeo is becoming irrelevant. Here's why. Let's fix it.

[Sanghee Shin]

Dear All, 

I think OSGeo is a body or carrier to carry the spirit of the open source to the world. OSGeo is copper wire to transmit electricity to remote place. Electricity had been there long before the invention of copper wire. We invented copper wire to carry electricity to remote place and now realised copper wire caused the many electricity loss because of rust or noise. 

Back to Darrell’s question. Both need both. Just like body needs spirit, electricity needs wire. 

Back to Darrell’s question again. What will happen if OSGeo disappear? There will not be official invitation to UN-GGIM conference by UN. There was a meeting between UN Geospatial Section and OSGeo Board during the FOSS4G Seoul for the future cooperation. And there might be no MOU between LH Corp(which has 16,000 employees in Korea) and OSGeo. Consequently the spread of open source GIS in Korea might have been slowed down drastically. It’s just like losing all your copper wire to connect your electricity to your device. What about the Geo4All initiatives? I don’t think this wonderful achievement was possible without OSGeo. 

About OSGeo’ death, I’ll not be surprised or care much about whether OSGeo die this evening. There’s nothing immortal. If OSGeo fully seed and spread the spirit of open source, who cares if the body die or not. Spirit eventually bear fruits. The real thing we should be worried about is the spiritual dead.

The problem of recent OSGeo is that it has grown too fast recently just like teenagers. It looks like adult however still young and is not capable of doing many things. It is just embarrassed with many sudden request and callings. So, what should we do now to look after this teenager? First we need to be proud of what it has accomplished so far and give it a cheer. And then sit down together to talk about the future positively, if I’m a father. 

Having seen the OSGeo since 2006, I believe we can be proud of OSGeo and it’s achievements. I don’t think we need to reinvent the wheel once again and still can fix it at the moment. 

All the best, 

신상희
---
Shin, Sanghee
Gaia3D, Inc. - The GeoSpatial Company
http://www.gaia3d.com 

> 2015. 9. 26., 오후 4:20, Darrell Fuhriman <darrell at garnix.org> 작성:
> 
> This is a perfect example.
> 
> All of those are great and wonderful things! The community does great and wonderful things. That’ s not my point.
> 
> My point is, those activities would happen even if the OSGeo Foundation disappeared. I’m not questioning whether we have a large and vibrant community, we do. And we still would.
> 
> My local chapter existed before it was an OSGeo chapter, and we would keep on having meetings and doing fun and exciting things even without the OSGeo Foundation.
> 
> Put another way: The OSGeo Foundation needs the Open Source Geospatial community, but does the Open Source Geospatial community need the OSGeo Foundation? I don’t see that it does.
> 
> Darrell
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> On Sep 26, 2015, at 05:29, Just van den Broecke <just at justobjects.nl> wrote:
>> 
>> Dear Milo,
>> 
>> That you agree Darrel's statements is your opinion and fine in any open discussion.
>> 
>> I react here on your phrase: '"empty talkers" from my country run for charter membership'.
>> 
>> We have 9 Charter Members from the Netherlands, including me. I know each of them, and IMO they are far from "empty talkers". They all spend long voluntary hours in an array of activities that support OSGeo's global and OSGeo.nl local mission and FOSS in general. To name a few:
>> Sebastiaan Couwenberg (2015) spends ample time in Debian packaging
>> Barend Köbben (2012) helping/speaking at FOSS4G, org academic track
>> We all know what Jeroen and Bart have accomplished. I could go on. Not all charter members need to make software, some make things happen like organizing local OSGeo.nl events and acting in the LOC for the upcoming FOSS4G in Bonn.
>> 
>> So I hope your "empty talkers" phrase came out of a sudden impulse, that we all have from time to time. I had to react to clarify some things. Best,
>> 
>> Just van den Broecke
>> Secretary OSGeo.nl Foundation
>> 
>> 
>> On 26-09-15 00:12, Milo van der Linden wrote:
>>> Being a "don't talk, act" member since 2008, entrepreneur and former
>>> chairman of a couple of local initiatives, I strongly agree.
>>> 
>>> Seeing all the "empty talkers" from my country run for charter
>>> membership and still not having geoserver, which is the most mature open
>>> geospatial product I can think of pas incubation made me completely lose
>>> interest in OSGeo.
>>> 
>>> I am disappointed, a little frustrated and plotting a business course
>>> that values open source and open knowledge. OSGeo or any in-crowd will
>>> have no part in my future.
>>> 
>>> Thank you for your honest and to the point analyses.
>>> 
>>> Milo
>>> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Discuss mailing list
> Discuss at lists.osgeo.org
> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss