On 8/5/2011 5:15 PM, Tyler Mitchell (OSGeo) wrote:
With a very encouraging list of nominees for the open board positions, it might help (at least me!) if some could share their thoughts about OSGeo and its future direction.
Sorry for my delay in responding, Tyler – I was traveling.Like others, I should say that I too am honored to be nominated. The other nominees are quite impressive!
My response to Tyler’s questions will, naturally, come from my perspective as a professor in a U.S. higher education institution, and also from my perspective of researching open source software projects (I have a book coming out in 2012 to be published by MIT Press where I studied open source collaboration issues). I teach in two programs: an environmental conservation program (undergrads and grad students) and also in a public administration/policy masters program. I also taught, most recently, high school teachers open source GIS.
TYLER’S QUESTION: What challenges do you see for OSGeo in the short and long terms?
Challenge 1. Increased awareness and adoption of OSGeo-related technologies (short and long term)
My students are constantly asking me “why open source”? Why not teach us the dominant GIS software used by the organizations they will be interviewing with? Historically this has to do with dominant proprietary desktop GIS, but increasingly I am seeing more interest in Google’s free (as in cost), open standard web-based technologies. So I think this is a major, long term challenge. How does OSGeo-related technologies gain market share?
Challenge 2. Continued improvements in the usability of OSGeo-technologies.Some of the resistance I run into is because of usability or technical problems students run into with the software we use. Things have definitely improved over the last 5 years since I started teaching this, but I still run into periodic problems and sometimes this is because of inconsistencies between computer platforms (e.g., Windows or Mac). This is a reflection based on my focus in particular on one desktop GIS package in particular. These technical problems result in students having sometimes a negative view of open source. In last year’s graduation ceremony, some students gave me an “open source proponent award.” The little trophy they gave me was in parts and they said I had to put it together myself. This was in fun and as a joke, but it also makes a statement about how end-users who are less technical sometimes feel about open source technologies. This is an issue found in many open source technologies – and not specifically OSGeo technologies. I'm not sure what the OSGeo board can do to help with this issue, but I believe it is an important issue. At the same time, I am extremely grateful and impressed at the OSGeo-related software groups and hope they don't see this comment as a negative one.
Challenge 3. Better integration of OSGeo technologies specifically in the education sector. Education is a key way to make headway into open source geospatial technology adoption. But the challenge is how do we make headway in its use in educational programs at all levels?
TYLER’S QUESTION: What kinds of goals do you have for the organisation? (It's not a presidential race, but curious on what you see as goals for the org).
Goal 1: To encourage collaborative activities that helps to increase the adoption of OSGeo-related technologies. I personally think a focus on the use of these technologies in local governments might be an area of potential growth. In the US, proprietary technologies are embedded in national and state organizations, but there are many local governments that have little GIS capability. I think a focus on local governments might be a “growth industry” in developed countries like the US, and also is absolutely relevant in developing countries. So it might be a place to focus some serious attention.
Goal 2: Better and increased communication between software groups and educators. As the chair of OSGeo's educational group, I don't really see much direct dialog between the software groups and our education group. I'd like to see that improved and see where we might be able to work together better.
Goal 3: Help raise funding for the development of OSGeo-related educational and marketing material.
TYLER’S QUESTION: What is needed for a board to be successful? ...For OSGeo to be a success?
I think the OSGeo board’s primary role should play a strategic planning role in supporting OSGeo’s staff and helping them with OSGeo direction. As I see it, the board should be helping OSGeo identify cutting edge opportunities. For example, where are the niches OSGeo technologies can fill? Where might OSGeo’s projects compete? How do we differentiate OSGeo from proprietary competitors? How can OSGeo help coordinate activities between projects or encourage collaborative efforts across OSGeo toward strategic goals? So as a new board member I’d like to understand the existing strategic vision of OSGeo and, if needed, encourage new dialog on where OSGeo is headed and what activities it should undertake to promote and advance OSGeo-related projects.
I also think the board should have some people on the board who can help raise some funding for OSGeo that would help achieve some of their goals. My area of expertise would be in grant-funding efforts, and perhaps with a few other board members we could collectively go after grant funds to help move some of OSGeo forward (for example in the educational content area).
Finally, I think the board needs to be made up of people from different perspectives and skills. I may have missed it, but it might be useful for people voting to see a list of the current board make-up (background and summary of what they bring to the table) and then look at the current nominees to see how they might complement or add to the current board composition.
TYLER’S QUESTION: Have you had to deal with similar challenges before?My experience tends to be around the teaching of some of the OSGeo-related technologies. So I’ve dealt with some of the challenges of promoting OSGeo-technologies in an academic setting. I’ve also been involved in trying to encourage collaboration in the OSGeo education group. So I’ve got some experience in the challenge of getting volunteers to work with one another.
Thanks, all, for your time and ear. Cheers. Charlie Schweik UMass Amherst
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