On 10/19/08, Daniel P. Ames <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi folks. As you all know, there is a growing interest in open source for > Windows. Especially with Microsoft's release of its developer tools in free > "express" editions and the availability of such tools as SharpDevelop and > Mono. > > MapWindow is .NET based and the bulk of our developers and users are > strictly MS based. I don't think this makes them any less human, it just > says that their threshold for open source is set such that a $90 Windows > operating system is considered acceptable but a $10000 GIS is not. > > We had a great turnout at the MapWindow lab and worshop in South Africa and > got lots of "hey it's great to see .NET open source GIS here" comments. So, > call us mudbloods, but it's an approach that we see has a huge added value > for lots of folks. Bottom line, if having Windows on some lab computers > doesn't add a huge expense, then we'd hope that Windows based labs and/or > workshops would be encouraged. > > Indeed, consider the opportunities for demonstrating QGIS and GRASS and > others on Windows to help convert Linux avoiders over to OSGeo.
I have no skin in this game, but I would second the above sentiment. While "not free as in beer" should not be as much of a problem as "not free as in speech," ignoring Windows is perilous and foolish. Because of its lack of architecture diversity and its monolithic nature, actually Windows can be a pretty good open source development platform because one can actually get past dicking around with installing the damn software and get to developing with it. > > - Dan > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Dave Patton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2008 3:02 PM > To: OSGeo Discussions <discuss@lists.osgeo.org> > Subject: Re: [OSGeo-Discuss] Can we use a LiveDVD for workshops and labs at > FOSS4G 2009? > > On 2008/10/19 1:30 PM, Cameron Shorter wrote: > > I'm wondering whether it will be achievable and desirable to use a > > GeoFOSS LiveDVD as the only installed operating system at workshops > > and labs at FOSS4G 2009. > > > So my questions to communities are: > > > > Do you and your project think you would commit to packaging your > > project into a debian based LiveDVD before FOSS4G in October 2009? > > > > For presenters, would you want to add tutorial material to the > > LiveDVD, which would mean using an Open licence like Creative > > Commons? > > I would start by asking a different question - does anyone > foresee any issue with not having MS Windows available as > an option for Workshops/Labs for FOSS4G 2009? > > We might not want to restrict the discussion to "OSGeo projects". > What if a Sponsor, or Exhibitor, or 'some software company', or > 'some non-OSGeo project' submitted a proposal to deliver a > Workshop/Lab, and it merited consideration for inclusion in the > conference, but it required MS Windows? > > Were there Workshops/Labs at FOSS4G 2008 that could not have > been delivered without having MS Windows? > > If we assume that there was 'some need' for MS Windows for > FOSS4G 2009, but that it wasn't needed for "all the PCs", > how would people react to Workshops/Labs that required > MS Windows also requiring a higher registration fee? > (i.e. higher by the incremental cost of the license to > use MS Windows on the PC for the Workshop/Lab) > > > P.S. > It helps if everyone uses the term "Instructors" when > referring to Workshops/Labs, because "Presenter" makes > people think of "Presentations", and sometimes that > causes confusion. > > -- > Dave Patton > CIS Canadian Information Systems > Victoria, B.C. > > Degree Confluence Project: > Canadian Coordinator > Technical Coordinator > http://www.confluence.org/ > > OSGeo FOSS4G2007 conference: > Workshop Committee Chair > Conference Committee member > http://www.foss4g2007.org/ > > Personal website: > Maps, GPS, etc. > http://members.shaw.ca/davepatton/ > _______________________________________________ -- Puneet Kishor _______________________________________________ Discuss mailing list Discuss@lists.osgeo.org http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
