[OSGeo-Edu] Getting back to "Mapping Math" - Removal From Free GIS Book

[Charlie Schweik]

Offline, Victor and I have been talking about developing some kinds of
incentives to encourage contributions to this effort. A more formal
"call for chapters" for an edited volume might be a way to go (similar
to what they are trying to do in the book on Ecological Economics" on
the Encyclopedia of Earth project
(http://www.eoearth.org/article/An_Introduction_to_Ecological_Economics_
%28e-book%29:_How_to_Contribute). Another idea might be developing a
book through Lulu.com with the idea that the product would also be a
e-book.

Connecting to peer-reviewed journal publications would help too. The
idea of connecting to OSGeo's Journal is one good possible direction.
This would require further discussion with Tyler and others on the
journal board I imagine.

BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS A FREEGIS BOOK SUBCOMMITTEE FORMING HERE --
GREAT!!!!! In addition to Victor, we've heard from Venka, Lorenzo,
Landon (am I missing someone)? Anyone else interested in joining in? 

Given that Victor (and his colleagues) have a lot of content and an
outline already developed, if he's willing, I'd like to nominate him to
chair this subcommittee. There's clearly "low-hanging fruit" work to be
done, like perhaps translating what he has already (300+ pages he tells
me!) to English and that might increase who can peer-review chapters.
There are other chapters still awaiting an author and the possibility of
connecting Landon's efforts (maybe). I could see two parallel versions
in development (1 spanish, 1 english) for version 1 but this is a little
tricky to manage.

IN SHORT: 

1) Victor, Lornezo, Venka, Landon (others?): Can you all form a FreeGIS
book subcommittee and develop a recommended strategy with some
established goals and tasks for October-to December 2007?

2) To keep us focused, I'd like to suggest three central goals for
reporting next year at FOSS4G: (1) Significant progress on our
"Inventory of Educational Materials"; (2) The "Establishment of a
Content Management System" and a system for creation of new derivative
works; and now (3) A "FreeGIS Edited Book" effort with possibly a draft
version in place by August 2008?

Reactions to any of this is welcome. We could schedule IRCs for each of
these if we need to have a dynamic discussion on one of these topics. 

Sorry for my long notes. I'm actually trying to be concise!
And if you haven't please add your content entries to the wiki page.

Charlie





On Fri, 2007-10-12 at 16:19 +0200, Lorenzo Becchi wrote:
> The plan to translate Victor's work is cool but not easy.
> I can try to help, but for sure I can't be the only one.
> We'll surely talk about it at gvSIG days in Valencia, next November (14 
> 16 Nov) [1]. We'll have a BoF about the GIS Book there.
> 
> We were talking too about creating a periodical publication of chapters 
> of the book inside OSGeo Journal or something similar.
> IMO, this will be a good system to promote the GIS Book and invite new 
> persons to collaborate.
> 
> suggestions are welcome.
> 
> ciao
> Lorenzo
> 
> 
> [1] http://www.gvsig.gva.es/jornadas/index.php?id=gvsig&L=0
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Venkatesh Raghavan wrote:
> > Victor Olaya Ferrero wrote:
> > ...
> >> It is a pity that most of you do not speak spanish and cannot use our 
> >> work
> >> for the english free GIS book. 
> >
> > Victor, I am waiting for your response about my student
> > working on translation of you spanish freegis book to english.
> > I hope you got my e-mail in that regard.
> > Your work will be useful for OSGeo Edu.
> >
> >> However, I think we have to profit from the
> >> fact that most of us at the spanish book can speak english, so we can
> >> translate and adapt all your work. 
> >
> > Someday, I hope to speak and write spanish too.
> >
> > Kind regards
> >
> > Venka
> > _______________________________________________
> > Edu_discuss mailing list
> > Edu_discuss at lists.osgeo.org
> > http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/edu_discuss
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