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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Arial Narrow"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow"'>I would like to add two (2) brief comments
about the issue if “American” influence in the OSGeo, and the role members
from other language groups/nations play in the organization.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Arial Narrow"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Arial Narrow"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow"'>The first comment is about utilizing the
mechanism for local chapters. Perhaps this is a vehicle that members from other
language groups or nations can use to accomplish more of their own goals under
the OSGeo umbrella? It seems that OSGeo is pretty flexible about the shape that
local chapters take. Why couldn’t a group in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Brazil</st1:country-region>
or <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Germany</st1:place></st1:country-region>
form a local chapter of the OSGeo that is incorporated in their nation to
pursue not only a common OSGeo agenda, but a local or national agenda as well?
They could even incorporate their local chapter in there own country, and thus
take advantage of their own tax laws and software export policies.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Arial Narrow"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Arial Narrow"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow"'>In this sense you get out of the OSGeo what
you put into it.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Arial Narrow"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Arial Narrow"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow"'>My second comment has to do with the role/responsibility
we as native English speakers/Americans/Canadians have to reach out to the
international community. The reality is that the software world is dominated by
the western world and the English language. (How many programming languages do
you know of that are written in Russian?) :]<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Arial Narrow"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Arial Narrow"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow"'>As has been mentioned before, there is
likely more potential for growth in FOSS4G in developing nations than there is
in the Western World, at least at this point in time. This is something we
should take advantage of.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Arial Narrow"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Arial Narrow"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow"'>Perhaps we could have a discussion with our members
from outside Canada and the United States to see what there primary concerns
are, and what we could do to encourage the growth of FOSS in their part of the
world.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Arial Narrow"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Arial Narrow"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow"'>I will point out that one reason OpenJUMP
has been as successful is because of it’s support of a worldwide
community. This includes great efforts to translate the user interface into
other languages and respectfully welcome people from all places. The last time
I checked we had participants from <st1:country-region w:st="on">Germany</st1:country-region>,
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Italy</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region
w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Brazil</st1:country-region>,
and even <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
Without these international contributors OpenJUMP would be a shadow of its
current self. In many ways our European members have carried the program forward
from its origins in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Arial Narrow"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Arial Narrow"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow"'>Landon<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Arial Narrow"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
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