[OSGeo-Edu] proposed meeting

[Puneet Kishor]

Charlie Schweik wrote:

> Also, I'd like to participate in upcoming IRC or other Skype meetings to
> the extent I can, but the next week is bad for me.

Next week is bad for me as well generally speaking, but since the best
time for everyone else is probably my midnight, I can make it possible
Friday or Saturday this week, or Monday or Tuesday next week. I am in
California Apr 6-Apr 10, so that time is out. Maybe we just wait for
another week or so, unless most of us can make it during any of the
above times.

> Please note I just added the below in quotes under the Licensing portion
> of the wiki which raises a couple issues we need to think about shortly.
> 
> "A key component related to this whole effort (related to incentive
> structures for some) will be how we maintain author attribution over
> time. This might be as simple as establishing in every document produced
> a "change log" listing who developed the initial document, and then
> listing who contributed to new derivative works.
> Also we need to decide whether we want a standard way of developing
> curricular material (e.g., wiki pages, open office writer documents,
> etc.) or if we accept any format, is the wiki set up to allow for the
> upload of files?
> 
> And do we want to try and agree on one open content license that allows
> for new derivative works or do we want to have a set identified
> depending on the author's interests? For example, someone might be
> willing to provide a tutorial but not want new derivative works, while
> others may be open to having new derivatives works produced from their
> submission. [Posted by Charlie Schweik]"

Allowing the author to preserve her rights will probably be the most
encouraging and catalyzing element. Part of me believes that for
something to be truly free, one should have the freedom to decide to not
be free! Creative Commons licensing does provide a variety of
permutations and combinations of rights that one can keep versus give
away, and CC is popular, even being tested in courts. This is, however,
a very important issue, and we have to keep talking about it. Thanks
Charlie.

..
> of our own. In a couple weeks I'll try and enter on the wiki where the
> Quantum material falls in the curriculum (the actual tutorial
> names/topics -- but I am not sure where to put that on this wiki).

Make a "Coursework" page and enter away.

..
> So I think there may not be as much of a tension as I thought between
> developing an online course at a University and the University interests
> and still working within the domain of "open content". 

This is crucial, and you (and others in the academia) might be the best
to investigate this. Most university course materials are usually
copyrighted by the Regents of that university (MapServer itself is
copyrighted by UMN Regents, I believe). But copyright might still allow
use and distribution, even modification (after all, we are here because
of MapServer) as long as the attribution is preserved.


> 
> I'm still a little confused about our communication method and when to
> post to the discussion list and when to post to the wiki.
> 

I am not sure of the answer to the above. Both have their pros and cons.
If it is posted to the list, I get to see it without having to remember
to go to the wiki (I was unable to entire yesterday), it is cleanly
threaded by subject, and is archived automatically and is searchable. On
the other hand, the context is hard to determine in emails unless quoted
replied, and it becomes unwieldy after a while. A wiki page can also get
unwieldy, but anyone can streamline it. My thought is that the email is
for discussing a topic among ourselves, and then the wiki is for posting
it for the world to see and edit once we have given it some form.
Perhaps others more experienced with this process can chime in and advise.

--
Puneet Kishor