[Foss4g2008loc] Feedback from GISSA National Council meeting on 4 Oct

[Gavin Fleming]

I gave brief feedback from FOSS4G2007 to the GISSA National Council and
asked for their comments on FOSS4G2008 organisation:

*	An idea was proposed for blending proprietary and FOSS talks:
have themed rooms where delegates know certain streams or cross-cutting
content like FOSS will be presented. Previous suggestions include having
streams containing FOSS, though not necessarily keeping them in the same
room, or randomly interspersing talks with FOSS content throughout a
topic stream and just identifying them with some flag. The point was
also made that many delegates will see a talk for the application, not
for the tools used, i.e. to them it's not important whether FOSS or
proprietary GIS was used. 
*	The marketing message must be open and inclusive. While we may
run a formal FOSS vs proprietary debate, confrontation is not the
message. Most debate will occur in the presentations and corridors
anyway. 
*	Re topics, it was suggested that we add topics for business and
government delegates (pretty much what is being discussed on
OSGeo-Discuss at the moment) such as

	*	FOSS GIS migration strategies
	*	FOSS GIS business case, FOSS vs proprietary TCO, etc. 

*	It was advised that we aim to break even with 600 delegates but
plan space for 1000 delegates. 
*	Carrin would send a letter to GISSA members and vendors advising
them of the conference and asking them to plan for the time and budget
to attend. 
*	A request was made to boost the academic component of the
conference. i.e. improve the options available to those who want peer
review and publication of their papers. Antony Cooper will participate
in this. 
*	Local Cape participation in the LOC should be boosted. So far
Inge is the main person on the ground there. Russell Hope might want to
get more involved and Derek Clarke will be approached (Gavin will
approach Derek) 
*	The whole Council asked to be placed on the LOC mailing list. 
*	In the development of an agreement between GISSA and OSGeo we
need to clarify respective risks, contributions and benefits and draft
the agreement accordingly. 

Gavin

 

 

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