[Ica-osgeo-labs] Open GIS Academics and educators please apply to AAG call before June 15th, 2015

Fri Jun 12 06:31:38 PDT 2015

Hi all. I feel that I have to say that I completely disagree with that "software agnostic" point of view; otherwise I wouldn't be supporting this initiative, among other things. Or is -for example- OSGeo "software agnostic"? The MoU approved between ICA and OSGeo that gave rise to Geo4all leaves no doubt about it. I also agree -as Suchith- that the focus should be on the development of a set of core competencies and course objectives. But as we say in my country: one thing is one thing and another thing is another thing. We need to create consciousness about the importance of supporting the development of open-source geospatial software technologies, training and expertise. It is not at all only a question of money; it`s about independence, it's about freedom -to choose, to create, to disseminate-, and of course it's a question of sovereignty. When we developed the Batoví project for the Plan Ceibal (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orwN9K07XPo) we decided to use open-source software for these reasons (in addition to the "money" thing, obviously...); otherwise it would have failed. Now we can develop those above-mentioned competencies and course objectives any time, anywhere, free of charge and -most important- free of conditions. Sorry for this but I felt I needed to say it. Thanks Suchith for your first mail on this thread that inspired me to write this one.

Cheers,

Sergio Acosta y Lara
Departamento de Geomática
Dirección Nacional de Topografía
Ministerio de Transporte y Obras Públicas
URUGUAY
________________________________
De: ica-osgeo-labs-bounces at lists.osgeo.org <ica-osgeo-labs-bounces at lists.osgeo.org> en nombre de Charles Schweik <cschweik at pubpol.umass.edu>
Enviado: jueves, 11 de junio de 2015 15:15
Para: Anthony Robinson
Cc: ica-osgeo-labs at lists.osgeo.org
Asunto: Re: [Ica-osgeo-labs] Open GIS Academics and educators please apply to AAG call before June 15th, 2015

Hi all,

Based on these emails, I've added to our meeting planning wiki for GeoForAll in Como [1]:

- Discussion of membership criteria;
- Closing BOF discussion of action items over summer, identification of people going to Seoul and starting a discussion of what we do there as a group.

Friendly reminder: If you will be in Como, please add your name to the various meeting times you can attend [1].

Cheers
Charlie

[1] http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/FOSS4G_Europe_2015_GeoForAll_Agenda

On Thu, Jun 11, 2015 at 6:06 PM, Anthony Robinson <acr181 at psu.edu<mailto:acr181 at psu.edu>> wrote:

Are there plans for a follow-up on Como at FOSS4G in Seoul? We're excited to sponsor FOSS4G for the second year in a row and I would be keen to participate in a GeoForAll conversation over some Soju in Seoul.

Cheers,

-A.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Phillip Davis" <pdavis at delmar.edu<mailto:pdavis at delmar.edu>>
To: "Anthony Robinson" <acr181 at psu.edu<mailto:acr181 at psu.edu>>, ica-osgeo-labs at lists.osgeo.org<mailto:ica-osgeo-labs at lists.osgeo.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 11, 2015 12:45:58 PM
Subject: RE: [Ica-osgeo-labs] Open GIS Academics and educators please apply to AAG call before June 15th, 2015

Thanks Anthony. We will discuss your points in Como @ FOSS4G EU and see if we can provide a more compelling value for membership.

________________________________________
From: ica-osgeo-labs-bounces at lists.osgeo.org<mailto:ica-osgeo-labs-bounces at lists.osgeo.org> [ica-osgeo-labs-bounces at lists.osgeo.org<mailto:ica-osgeo-labs-bounces at lists.osgeo.org>] On Behalf Of Anthony Robinson [acr181 at psu.edu<mailto:acr181 at psu.edu>]
Sent: Thursday, June 11, 2015 11:40 AM
To: ica-osgeo-labs at lists.osgeo.org<mailto:ica-osgeo-labs at lists.osgeo.org>
Subject: Re: [Ica-osgeo-labs] Open GIS Academics and educators please apply to AAG call before June 15th, 2015

Yeah, about that! I've been watching the discussion regarding what lab activity is required and what membership means with eager eyes. I would like to be able to make the case to my colleagues to join. I do think clarity on what activity means and what the benefits are would be helpful.

I know that the answers to these questions are under debate here. When I look at the criteria I can see that we have been doing all of those things, so that's not a worry I have. Instead I'd rather know that by committing to something we're doing something tangible for our students. Every move I make is evaluated in terms of whether or not it adds value to the educational experience for our students. Since we already do the things that GeoForAll asks for, I will be asked to explain what we gain from setting up yet another website and assigning someone to developing an annual report (a big deal for a program that has over a thousand students and dozens of faculty - that's not easy to summarize).

I also can't just sign up Penn State by my decision alone. It would have to be vetted by the Department, College, risk management, etc... If our university ends up on a list of institutions in a press release from GeoForAll, I have to answer to that, and that's perhaps the biggest question to sort out for my specific context.

-A.

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--
Charlie Schweik

Associate Professor, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Dept of Environmental Conservation and Center for Public Policy and Administration

Personal website: http://people.umass.edu/cschweik
Publications: http://works.bepress.com/charles_schweik/

Author, Internet Success: A Study of Open Source Software (MIT Press, 2012) - see http://tinyurl.com/d3e4545

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