[FOSS4G2016] Possible new communication channels

[Jeff McKenna]

Hi 2016 team!

I just want to point out to you that there is a new OSGeo Slack "team" 
http://osgeo.slack.com (think of it as another version of IRC chat)

For some past FOSS4G events, local committees held their monthly 
meetings through IRC (in the #foss4g channel).  That channel still 
exists, and is available for your use (it is not used at all, so please 
do consider that).

But what you might (or might not) find interesting is that there is now 
a #foss4g channel in OSGeo's Slack.  The spatial hipsters seem to like 
Slack, and even though we are only days into the OSGeo Slack, it seems 
that it could become popular.

However at the moment there is no way for anyone to join the OSGeo Slack 
"team", other than contacting me.  I'm discussing this now with OSGeo's 
systems (SAC) committee.   This morning I also filed a request with 
Slack for a "non-profit" account for OSGeo.

But that shouldn't stop you now from using the #foss4g channel to talk, 
ask instant questions to each other etc.  Why not?!

Again, you don't have to use these options, but, they exist if you 
choose to use them :)

PS. some of you may have already received an invite to Slack from me, if 
you are not interested, please discard my message


-jeff