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<div dir="auto">I agree with Cameron that there are many ways to
contribute to and be an important part of OSGeo without being on
the board. From some of what I am reading it appears some
people are in a situation where it would significantly help them
participate if there was a more formal recognition of their role
and contributions.<br>
<br>
I would like to point out something that is probably obvious but
seems to be missed in the discussion. We are lucky to have many
more people doing good work with respect to OSGeo: software,
data, documentation, outreach, promotion, education, etc. that
come from many backgrounds, have different interests, speak
different languages, etc. than we have board positions.<br>
</div>
<div dir="auto"><br>
</div>
How many board positions are available?
<div dir="auto"><br>
</div>
<div dir="auto">How many people in the community are active and
passionate about OSGeo?<br>
<br>
How many of those people have time to volunteer to fulfill board
duties?<br>
<br>
How many different sub-groups/regions/languages/interests/etc.
are there in OSGeo?</div>
<div dir="auto"><br>
</div>
<div dir="auto">It is impossible for every slice of the OSGeo
membership to be directly represented on any board of reasonable
size. However, I do trust whoever is elected to the board to do
their best to listen, understand, and be fair to all members. I
expect the composition of the board will naturally change over
time, bringing new perspectives into the spotlight. I am sure
that every candidate this year would have done a fine job.
Someone not being elected to the board doesn't mean we as a
community don't value them or their contributions.<br>
<br>
<div dir="auto">I am part of several other volunteer
organizations where even getting enough candidates to even
fill the legally required board positions, not to mention
various committee positions. Everyone just wants to enjoy the
benefits of the organization and let someone else do the hard
work. OSGeo is fortunate to not in that situation. I urge us
not to take for granted our vibrant community and people's
eagerness to be involved.<br>
</div>
</div>
<br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 10/31/2017 05:23 PM, Cameron Shorter
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:feb6b9b3-9915-d0c3-36f3-6515d9cddb04@gmail.com">
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<p>Extending on Maria's comments (and others),<br>
</p>
<p>I think we are over-emphasising the relative importance of the
OSGeo board. Reducing the importance of the board will increase
the importance and influence of our OSGeo committees. <br>
</p>
<p>If OSGeo is a Do-ocracy and Meritocracy, and the influencers in
OSGeo comes from the Do-ers in our community, then questions
like board diversity almost becomes a non-issue.</p>
<p>Warm regards, Cameron<br>
</p>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 31/10/17 6:14 pm, María Arias de
Reyna wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:CAERgKeDwNbkKkwBVviz_f=hJr6ndwQtPqb1aFkoek9N-5XnHOQ@mail.gmail.com">
<div dir="ltr">Dear all,
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Sorry for the late response. I was busy going back from
different timezones and that is a killer for me (travelling,
being sleepy, etc...).</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I agree with Sanghee that we have gone one step
backwards. We have lost Asia in the board. That's a step
backwards we shouldn't have had. And I agree with 90% of
opinions posted here that are sad about the
European-NAmerica board. So I will just highlight what I
don't agree with. And this is an optimistic email, I don't
share the general pessimism. Wait for the end of it.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I don't agree that Venka has been punished somehow
despite his good work. Do you really think that if someone
is doing a good work that should warrantee his position on
the board? I don't think so. I think the reward of doing a
good job comes somewhere else: recognition, ¿fame?, trust,
acknowledgement, even free beers! But even if you think a
position on the board is a reward, then, maybe other people
have been also rewarded with that for work outside the
presidency of OSGeo but inside the community. Or maybe
people just wanted a fresh view, not necessarily that
meaning that his work (or your work!) was bad. There is a
lot of reasons for voting someone and I personally think
that a "reward" vote shouldn't be one. Having other
candidates with more votes doesn't mean you did a bad job at
all. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Do I think that you both should be on the board? Yes, of
course! But this has also been (at least for me) a very
difficult voting. It was very hard to choose between the
candidates. All had good reasons to be there, all had good
work done inside the community. So, how to choose? I know
what you have been doing because I have done an explicit
effort to know about that. I have gone to international
events, I have followed the mailing lists, I have followed
many threads on twitter. Most people only know what people
around them do. So it is possible (and very likely, in my
opinion) that a lot of people just see OSGeo as an
organization, but don't see the work of individuals. So for
them, Venka is that person who does the "history of OSGeo"
talk, but nothing special around him that other active
members don't have. If we ask members who has been behind
the new website, how many of them would know? And that is
something that has had a lot of publicity recently. What
about all the rest of work that has less exposure?</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>So when it comes to voting, they see candidates who are
active in trying to show their views and other candidates
that are not present. Not being present on the election
process, that is what have drained votes, I would say. Not
your fault, maybe, but how do we explain that to people who
don't see individuals because they are already busy with
local and regional stuff?</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>And now the optimistic part:On the other hand, we have
gone two steps forward. Wait, what? Let me explain:</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>We are finally half male half female. Although this may
not look like a step forward to some of you, to me it is a
huge win. And we did that without the need for quotas.
That't a double win. And it is a tendency that has been
stable so I am optimistic here.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>And the other step, but still an important step forward,
we have recovered the long lost Iberoamerican community in
the board. Since Jorge Sanz, we haven't had a
spanish-speaking board member. I know I count as European,
but I am as European as I am part of the large (huge!)
community that culturally spreads also on north, central and
south America. So yes, Vicky may have been a better
representative of this community because she is not
european, but still, I plan to work hard on getting latin
americans closer to OSGeo. Remember that this community is
the ¿largest? community in OSGeo and they are very silent
because many reasons (low English level, no international
FOSS4G being done close, middle income economy that can't
afford to travel far or even organizing codesprints
properly!,... etc...). Most of them work hard towards OSGeo
and don't even know there is such a thing as a membership!
They just work aligned with our goals and inside the
community, but they see so far away the OSGeo "official"
community that they don't even bother to get closer. To get
what? What would be their motivation to get closer to a
community that largely ignores them?</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>If you think OSGeo has less importance in South America,
check the GeoInquietos. Different branding, same work. On
the FOSS4G-BA, after María Brovelli's talk about OSGeo, many
of them were surprised. They knew about FOSS4G just because
the geoinquietos from Argentina placed it on their doorstep.
But, OSGeo? What's that? Aaah, the same thing they have been
doing but on an English-speaking community. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>We have lost Asia, but we have a window to South America.
And that's very important.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>And, wait, have we lost Asia? Does it mean that if there
is no board member from Asia, Asia is going to disappear or
something? </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>If you think it will help, we can have something like one
representative for each chapter as advisor or watcher of the
board. Why not? Let each chapter decide who to "send", like
embassadors. I think that would be a good approach to get
closer to different communities.</div>
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<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Cameron Shorter
Technology Demystifier, Learnosity
Open Technologies Consultant
M +61 (0) 419 142 254</pre>
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