[Aust-NZ] meetups or other activates for the new year?

[Jody Garnett]

On Friday, 6 January 2012 at 6:58 AM, mapbutcher wrote:
> I tend to agree with Cameron on this issue, I am unclear of the benefits of being 'formed'? In fact quite the opposite, if I remember correctly one of the reasons groups such as the Melbourne Open GIS group sprung up a few years ago was because a few of us had attended fledgling Osgeo chapter meetings and we're dissatisfied by the proportion of bureacracy to content, so we felt our time was better spent actually organizing something people were interested in rather than redundant process and procedure.
I tend to view the paper work as a one off thing; you have to go through the same forming any non profit group (usually you just put $10 is a bank account or something). But I understand if the first meetings were devoted to this topic it would be a pretty boring start.
> In this modern age of 'meetups' do such chapters have a place? What does a chapter actually provide? 
It is more a case that a local chapter is most of what the OSGeo Foundation is providing; and since we don't have one I thought I would give it a go.
> The organic development of groups across the country in the past year has evidenced a growing interest and adoption of open source. It has not required a chapter to support this growth. There are adequate means of communication to support cross pollination between these groups IMO. We even managed to organize a conference without a chapter if my memory serves me correctly.
I would not expect forming a chapter to change (or even effect much of that).

I think in terms of concrete benefits - a chapter gives us a voice at the OSGeo level (annual AGM etc); and a place for people to contact us.
> I would not support such an effort unless clear benefits were apparent
> 

There is one small effect: If I organise an event as myself it is often viewed as representing my employer. This is despite me always being clear when I represent LISAsoft.

I have met with members from a number of local chapters now (Brazil, Korea, Italy, Japan, etc..) and we do not offer anywhere near the level of outreach provided by these groups.

It sounds like you have done a good job organising an alternative in the Melbourne area? In both the Canberra and Brisbane meet ups there was a strong desire for this level of support.

Still if there is no interest I can go back to promoting internationally.
> and if we close of this thread with a decision, perhaps we could update the wiki to state 'alive but unformed'
Updating the wiki would be fine. 

However my point till stands; is there anything you guys want to accomplish this year? Unconference? National meet up? Codesprint?

Jody
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