[Foss4g2009] OCS/Events Conferencing software integration meeting minutes

[Cameron Shorter]

Rrank,

Gavin & Graeme explained the idea and hopefully will correct my 
interpretation of a proposed implementation:

* OCS will accept user initial registrations.
* OCS will pass registration details to Tour Hosts' "Events" package, 
and get a userId returned. (API needed here).
Events package will process finances.
* OCS will be able to query Events package to determine financial status 
of each member (by passing in the userId). (API needed here). This could 
be a push or pull interface, yet to be determined.
* OCS will be responsible for processing papers and collecting 
information about delegates.
* Events system is responsible for processing financial details, booking 
accommodation, and other things I can't remember.

Indeed, this work could be quite simple if you have developers who are 
already familiar with the code base. People on the teleconference didn't 
have much experience in PHP.  So yes, with the right hackers, this could 
be done much cheaper that my estimated 1 to 2 months. Do you have such a 
hacker in mind?

Frank Warmerdam wrote:
> Cameron Shorter wrote:
>> The proposed solution is to use OCS for collecting presentations, and 
>> some of the registration work flow, then hand the rest over to the 
>> ICS software. (I haven't captured all the details here. Will leave 
>> that to someone else). Changes will likely be written in PHP & MySQL, 
>> plus contractors might need to be hired to provide hooks into the 
>> Events system.
>
> Cameron,
>
> I don't really have a clear understanding of the integration proposed.
>
> My past suggestion has been to handle the presentation collection and
> management through OCS (something we have experience with), and handle
> registration completely in the service providers system.  I don't see how
> this would require any expensive integration.
>
> This still leaves some question about whether the "front end" web site
> is managed by the local service provider's system or OCS.  I'm ambivalent
> on this issue.
>
> In my optimistic opinion the only integration needed between the systems
> should be an url at the appropriate points.  I will acknowledge that
> users may end up with two userids if they are presenting, one to
> register and one for the presentation management system.
>
> The objective - at least in the long term - is to get cheaper service 
> from
> the service providers since they won't be expected to manage the 
> presentation
> aspect, and to ensure greater continuity of operation in this aspect.
>
> The only integration I anticipate is working to ensure OCS uses the OSGeo
> LDAP database so that userid/password info is "OSGeo standard".
>
> Best regards,


-- 
Cameron Shorter
Geospatial Systems Architect
Tel: +61 (0)2 8570 5050
Mob: +61 (0)419 142 254

Think Globally, Fix Locally
Commercial Support for Geospatial Open Source Solutions
http://www.lisasoft.com/LISAsoft/SupportedProducts.html