[Aust-NZ] Conference theme [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

[Ben.Searle at ga.gov.au]

Cara,

Below is a brief bio.




Ben Searle has almost 30 years experience in the spatial community.  He has
worked within the marine community at both national and international levels
for almost 23 years, contributing to data management component s of a range
of international and global programs including the Global Ocean Observing
Program (GOOS) and was Chairman of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic
Commission's International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE)
program for 5 years, working with some 85 member countries in collaborative
programs to share oceanographic data and information.  Ben played a lead role
in the establishment of the MarineXML program and has subsequently worked in
the land information community for the Australian Capital Territory
Government and more recently for the Australian government with
responsibilities for the National Mapping and Information Group within
Geoscience Australia and as General Manager of the Office of Spatial Data
Management.  Ben also sits on the Victorian Spatial Council and is a member
of the Board of Directors of PSMA Australia Ltd.




Regards 
 
Ben Searle
General Manager, Office of Spatial Data Management
and
Group Leader, National Mapping & Information
Geospatial & Earth Monitoring Division 
Geoscience Australia 
Phone: 02 6249 9298
Mobile: 0439-995-785
Fax: 02 6249 9942
Email: ben.searle at ga.gov.au
Postal address: GPO Box 378, Canberra ACT 2601



-----Original Message-----
From: aust-nz-bounces at lists.osgeo.org
[mailto:aust-nz-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of Cara Heathcote
Sent: Friday, 11 January 2008 4:10
To: Hamish; Shoaib Burq; Cameron Shorter
Cc: Aust-NZ OSGeo
Subject: RE: [Aust-NZ] Conference theme


Hi everyone,

Please find attached the bid document with all of todays updates. Please note
that page numbers have been inserted, and the contents page will be updated
accordingly before sending. 

We are still waiting on the updated bio section for Ben if this could be sent
to me ASAP. We will accept final changes up until 4:30 pm this afternoon.

Thanks,
Cara
 

-----Original Message-----
From: aust-nz-bounces at lists.osgeo.org
[mailto:aust-nz-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of Hamish
Sent: Friday, 11 January 2008 4:03 PM
To: Shoaib Burq; Cameron Shorter
Cc: Aust-NZ OSGeo
Subject: Re: [Aust-NZ] Conference theme

> Cameron Shorter wrote:
> > I'm rewriting the theme to be "User Friendly" instead of "User
> > Driven FOSS4G".


Shoaib Burq wrote:
> Any particular reason?
> 
> Both terms evoke similar ideas but "User Driven" is broader.
> 
> User Driven encompasses a larger user community, ranging from the 
> non-developer /non-geek community (GUI's, pretty front ends, etc)  to 
> the developer user (Restful web services and APIs, data). "User 
> Driven" also goes beyond software to data and the philosophy of 
> openness.
> 
> "user friendly" seem narrower and evokes the notion of a non-expert 
> user group. So I would be inclined to keep "User Driver".


Indeed, intuitive/shallow learning curve is nothing to do with software
for/of/and by the customer. Most specialist geospatial and scientific OS
software may not be "user friendly" in the traditional dumbed-down
sense, but it is often intuitive, and certainly "user driven". Or to put
it another way, one of the great strengths of FOSS is that it is not
beholden to a corporation or industry's agenda, it reacts directly to
the users' needs. "User friendly" says nothing for that.


regards,
Hamish Bowman

GRASS GIS Project
  /
Dept Marine Science
University of Otago
Dunedin, NZ



 
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