[Foss4g2012] RE: [Board] RE: [OSGeo-Conf] FOSS4G Beijing - a regional event

Fri May 25 17:48:26 EDT 2012

I like it.

-mpg

From: Cameron Shorter [mailto:cameron.shorter at gmail.com] 
Sent: Friday, May 25, 2012 1:32 PM
To: mpg at flaxen.com
Cc: seven at arnulf.us; 'conference'; 'OSGeo Board'; 'FOSS4G 2012'
Subject: Re: [Foss4g2012] RE: [Board] RE: [OSGeo-Conf] FOSS4G Beijing - a regional event

Here is a proposed draft email, probably to be sent by Arnulf on behalf on the board. Feel free to reword as you see fit:

Title: FOSS4G 2012 in Beijing - categorised as a Regional FOSS4G

Body:

In the interests of transparency, the OSGeo board are noting that FOSS4G 2012 in Beijing is being considered by the OSGeo Board as a "Regional FOSS4G Event", rather than as the "International FOSS4G event". This means that the OSGeo Annual General Meeting, and Sol Katz award will not be included as part of the program, and possibly means that there will be less international presence than at the FOSS4G International event.

That said, we do anticipate that FOSS4G Beijing will be a successful regional event, drawing heavily upon the local region for attendance.

The growth and maturity of OSGeo software and following interest from business, educational and government has been fanning a rising demand for the FOSS4G conference. This demand has led initially to the development of an international conference - first titled FOSS4G in 2006 in Switzerland. By 2009 it was becoming apparent that FOSS4G attracted a very high local attendance who made up over half the audience. These local attendees usually were obviously interested in FOSS4G, but were not attending the international event. By 2011/2012 many successful regional FOSS4G events have been running, which have been capitalising on the previously untapped local interest.

As such, we anticipate that FOSS4G Beijing will similarly be successful in capturing the regional interest in FOSS4G and will stage a compelling regional FOSS4G event. We do encourage all who are interested to attend.

On 26/05/2012 5:44 AM, Michael P. Gerlek wrote: 

OK, I'll make an official motion.

PROPOSED:   There will be no annual, international FOSS4G event this year. There will be a regional OSGeo conference in Beijing in September 2012, but it will not include an Annual General Meeting nor will the Sol Katz award be announced there.

My motion does not lay blame, point fingers, or attempt a rationale; it simply states the facts as they are.

-mpg

From: conference_dev-bounces at lists.osgeo.org [mailto:conference_dev-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of seven at arnulf.us
Sent: Friday, May 25, 2012 12:28 PM
To: 'conference'; OSGeo Board
Cc: 'FOSS4G 2012'
Subject: Re: [Board] RE: [OSGeo-Conf] FOSS4G Beijing - a regional event

Hi, 
there is no motion on the floor. My intention is simply to follow up on a standing request by many people who keep asking about the event in Beijing. In the absence of a functioning conference committee I believe it is the board's job to answer.

I have no intention of discouraging anybody going there but it is not going to be comparable to previous global events. Whoever has the capacities to make it so please step up. Now. We need an AGM, international keynoters, some board representation, Sol Katz Award event and other stuff I currently cannot see and am not expecting anymore. 

Where is the problem in being honest about this? I can already see the frustration of people and corresponding media reports after the fact saying that we have 'failed'. No need for this.

If someone else sees the need for an official note please take over, it is not that important to me.

Best regards, 
Arnulf

--
Arnulf Christl (aka Seven)
http://arnulf.us

----- Reply message -----
From: "Michael P. Gerlek" <mpg at flaxen.com>
To: "'Tim Schaub'" <tschaub at opengeo.org>
Cc: "'conference'" <conference_dev at lists.osgeo.org>, "'FOSS4G 2012'" <foss4g2012 at lists.osgeo.org>, <board at lists.osgeo.org>
Subject: [Board] RE: [OSGeo-Conf] FOSS4G Beijing - a regional event
Date: Fri, May 25, 2012 20:20

We need to set people's expectations that this is not the usual annual global event at which there will be large number of international attendees, the Sol Katz Award, the annual general meeting, etc.

-mpg

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tim Schaub [mailto:tschaub at opengeo.org]
> Sent: Friday, May 25, 2012 11:19 AM
> To: mpg at flaxen.com
> Cc: conference; FOSS4G 2012; board at lists.osgeo.org
> Subject: Re: [Board] RE: [OSGeo-Conf] FOSS4G Beijing - a regional event
> 
> What would be the desired outcome of any motion we could make?  Do you
> want to encourage people not to attend?  I doubt that.  Is this just
> about conveying disappointment?
> 
> On Fri, May 25, 2012 at 9:13 AM, Michael P. Gerlek <mpg at flaxen.com> wrote:
> >> This makes FOSS4G in Beijing a regional event at best
> >> and I believe we must make clear that this is not going to be ''the''
> >> global meeting of the tribes.
> >
> > Agreed, I've been saying as much for a while now. I think the board needs to formally make that announcement asap -- perhaps a
> motion is in order?
> >
> > -mpg
> >
> >
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: conference_dev-bounces at lists.osgeo.org [mailto:conference_dev-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of Seven (aka
> Arnulf)
> >> Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2012 9:06 AM
> >> To: conference; FOSS4G 2012
> >> Subject: [OSGeo-Conf] FOSS4G Beijing - a regional event
> >>
> >> Folks,
> >> on the website at http://2012.foss4g.org/ there is still no option for
> >> submitting abstracts although the submission has been opened -
> >> apparently without notice to any of the regular OSGeo channels.
> >> Workshops submission ends in two weeks.
> >>
> >> No international speakers have been announced and there are only Chinese
> >> sponsors listed (although interest by regulars was documented as early
> >> as December 2012). This makes FOSS4G in Beijing a regional event at best
> >> and I believe we must make clear that this is not going to be ''the''
> >> global meeting of the tribes.
> >>
> >> We should at the same time continue to support FOSS4G in Beijing as a
> >> regional event and help them wherever they let us.
> >>
> >> On http://2012.foss4g.org/ the link to the OSGeo Wiki page in the lower
> >> right should be removed as it is not being used (and currently points to
> >> a 404).
> >>
> >> Best regards,
> >> Arnulf
> >>
> >> --
> >> Exploring Space, Time and Mind
> >> http://arnulf.us
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Conference_dev mailing list
> >> Conference_dev at lists.osgeo.org
> >> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/conference_dev
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Board mailing list
> > Board at lists.osgeo.org
> > http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/board
> 
> 
> 
> --
> Tim Schaub
> OpenGeo http://opengeo.org/
> Expert service straight from the developers.

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

Think Globally, Fix Locally
Geospatial Solutions enhanced with Open Standards and Open Source
http://www.lisasoft.com
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