Hi Cameron,
Thank you for your message. It is very refreshing to speak on this
topic openly here, as others would rather send me strong private
messages questioning my sanity, and making threats. I realize that many
cannot be open on this topic for various reasons.
Let me assure everyone here that I only have one agenda, which is very
rare these days, and that is to help the OSGeo foundation. I am not
muzzled by fear or threats, and I will stand up for the OSGeo foundation
whenever that is required. If by standing up for OSGeo's only event all
year, FOSS4G, means that I am called "confrontational" and
"obstructive", then yes you are fully right.
Some may not know this by reading this thread, but I have always been a
big supporter of LocationTech. I was involved in the beginning of
LocationTech, involved in the sense of being one of the first
subscribers to their mailing list, and I even have had many chats inside
their #locationtech IRC channel, even answering questions from new
LocationTech community members (technical readers will find it
interesting to join their IRC channel now on freenode and see the first
message that is displayed when entering their channel "LocationTech:
location aware open source software friendly to commercialization."). I
have followed the development of that organization right from the
beginning, where they smartly filled a void by aiming at the
business/commercial side of Open Source geospatial (of course, recently
they publicly pointed out to me, even questioned my sanity, that this
was false, I am dreaming, that they have always focused instead on the
same goals as OSGeo, but readers, do a google search for LT and press
release, and you will see their early visions). Which is why I asked
now to hear the vision of LocationTech (I was not answered, but someone
else pointed to an FAQ just made). In any case, no I am not insane, I
have always followed LocationTech closely.
I do travel to many OSGeo local chapters around the world, constantly,
and especially to developing areas that are just becoming interested in
Open Source. In a few days I will again take 3 more planes and
represent OSGeo at a growing community, again putting life on hold,
including my health, my money, and my life in general, to go help grow
the OSGeo community. In this event I can bet that I will speak
personally to over 100 developers, students, decision makers, and
researchers; I bet I will personally talk to over 20 businesses looking
at OSGeo. Those who know me well know that this is why I make those
trips (I don't go for presentations etc.), it is that face to face
representation that is so very important, especially in the long run.
As the leader of the OSGeo foundation, part of my role is to listen to
all of the criticism about me; and I realize that the negative words
you've used about me here for everyone to read, are not the first
negative ones used at me in years past, nor will they be the last. In
the big theater room that is the community, there will always be those
that disagree with me, and I value their opinion as well.
Few in this community see me being so involved behind the scenes. New
committees, new MoUs, FOSS4G local committees, all just pop up on the
scene and grow, but few see me behind the scenes helping them form
initially, and I am ok with that. The core community members in the
OSGeo foundation know that I support them in every way that I can. I
often am actively working 2 or even 3 years in advance of a FOSS4G for
that region, talking with those regions members, getting them to think
of the possibilities, years before the release of the call for hosting.
To you and others it looks like I have no innovation, no new ideas, I
don't work with community leaders, because you don't see me working
behind the scenes for OSGeo. I am ok with that. You can keep going on
in thinking this way of me, but I am very proud of what I do for OSGeo,
what I constantly try to do for OSGeo. Long-time members of OSGeo know
how I have failed in several proposals to past OSGeo boards, and to this
day those so-called "failures" are my most proud moments. But yes, you
can always argue that I am not innovative and do not help OSGeo.
I am also not wired to think of "money" first. I follow my heart and I
try to do the best I can for OSGeo, for the OSGeo foundation, always,
even if it doesn't make sense for me personally or for my career. I do
it, for the love of OSGeo. I also realize that it is this fact, of how
I am wired, that causes conflict with others (another example is my
father, who constantly says I should go get a real job and earn the
money I deserve, he sees me struggle financially and it drives him
crazy). Instead of money, my goal in life is to be happy and do well
for society. I feel OSGeo and its local chapters fits in perfectly with
my own personal goals, and I give to OSGeo everything I can, every ounce
of my being. It is, what I do and what I enjoy.
Ok back on track again:
I truly feel that Andrea is doing a great job for LocationTech, always
has. We have known each other for a long time, since back when I was
the MapServer users group chair in Ottawa and she first attended. I
have always treated Andrea and LocationTech with respect.
(before you say how false that is, I will now go into my vision for OSGeo)
Vision For OSGeo
================
(I should first state that I have called a face to face meeting with the
OSGeo Board members to work together on topics such as vision and the
goals of OSGeo, and how to achieve those goals, and that meeting will be
in January, attended by all members of this new OSGeo board)
"My vision is for OSGeo to be the Open Source geospatial community all
across the globe, everywhere and anywhere, and have fun doing it. The
OSGeo community is special, we are unique, we do great things for the
world, we are open, and we have fun. We accept anyone into our
community and will give them the spotlight, to help their local
community and the world share its spatial information. We are OSGeo."
Many have seen me speak about "community" all around the world since
about 2008, and it is OSGeo's community that is so valued. This vision
puts our community in that spotlight, and is something that I already
know that we all follow in our hearts. It is the OSGeo spirit that
drives us all, that some may not understand, but we can teach them and
help them share their geospatial information openly, and, show them how
fun it is.
How to get there
================
Focus on Developing Regions
---------------------------
Over the next 5 or 10 years, various developing regions ("developing" in
the sense of in-progress of becoming world leaders in open) across the
globe, not known globally for their OSGeo chapters yet, will be given
the OSGeo spotlight. These are important regions of the world,
extremely active locally but not as well known globally for their
efforts in Open Source geospatial. Some possible examples are South
America, South Asia, Russia, China, Middle East, North Africa, and
India. OSGeo will help give them the world stage for Open Source
geospatial.
Local Chapters
--------------
All of the fun happens locally, it is through local chapters that OSGeo
can grow Open Source geospatial software, learn, share, and have fun. We
currently have about 30 official chapters, and about 30 in formation,
but we have so much more work to do to help chapters grow in other
communities. Let's help them! :)
Projects
--------
OSGeo projects and those in incubation are very stable and have vibrant
communities. OSGeo must help these projects grow, and also help
incoming projects find a home in our community. We must be accepting to
changing trends and styles in the global industry.
Charter Members
---------------
OSGeo charter members will drive the formation of the Open Source
geospatial community.
Diversity
---------
OSGeo must from now on have 50% women on its Board of Directors. This
year's board has the first women ever on its board, but for 2016/2017
and beyond, women will again be strongly represented at the board level
of the OSGeo foundation. This will help provide strong leadership from
OSGeo throughout the world.
Education and Training
----------------------
OSGeo will continue to spread Open Source geospatial to students and
educators around the world, through the GeoForAll initiative. Focus
will also change from post-secondary institutions to
secondary/high-school, getting the young minds excited and interested in
sharing and being open.
Professional Service Providers
------------------------------
OSGeo will begin to focus on its service providers, and give them the
spotlight they deserve, for choosing to operate their business around
OSGeo projects. Focus will not only be placed on the larger businesses,
but for the first time ever, small businesses will be given the
spotlight from OSGeo.
(in my travels, I estimate that 90% of OSGeo's service providers have
<10 employees, yet we are not giving these businesses any spotlight)
FOSS4G
------
OSGeo's hugely successful yearly event, the global FOSS4G, will continue
to travel around the world each year. The goal of OSGeo's global FOSS4G
event over the next 5 to 10 years will be to expand to new areas, plant
the OSGeo seed locally, learn, share, and have fun. The goal will be to
share this passion as much as possible, by having low-cost FOSS4G
events. Regional FOSS4G events will satisfy local needs, in however the
local chapters desire.
Code Sprints
------------
OSGeo will actively promote its ability to support all code sprints of
any size, no matter if there is only one project being enhanced.
Working with other organizations
--------------------------------
Working closely with other organizations will continue to be important
for OSGeo. MoUs with organizations encourage communication, and usually
have the 2 leaders of the parties sit down face to face once a year and
talk (which is really priceless in the long-term for the commmunity) and
review the agreement. Admittedly these agreements are not liked by the
business-types, for not offering any firm details up front (like
financial benefits), but in the long term these agreements help change
opinions, give momentum to both parties, and end up creating jobs in the
industry.
Standards
---------
Standards in geospatial software and data will continue to be one of the
core parts of every OSGeo project.
Financial Focus
---------------
OSGeo has never been about generating revenue. OSGeo is and will be
about being the Open Source geospatial community, sharing, learning, and
having fun. OSGeo will continue to be lean, earning enough funding to
help its annual FOSS4G and other events, maintain OSGeo's
infrastructure, and other critical needs. The OSGeo foundation will
continue to be volunteer driven.
Discussion
==========
In terms of what I would do to foster working with LocationTech, I would
work with Andrea directly to develop an MoU agreement draft, and then
take that draft to each of our Boards. To formalize this agreement, I
would call for a "Summit" to be held around March of this year between
the LocationTech Steering Committee members, and the OSGeo Board of
Directors. This would be a one day meeting, in person, and not related
to any other existing event (not added to an existing program/event).
This would allow the OSGeo Board to meet in January, establish their
goals, and then to sit down prepared with LocationTech Steering
Committee in March.
I do feel that the LocationTech/OSGeo relationship needs to be examined
slowly, and this is why I made a stand here this/last week. I apologize
to Andrea if I have offended her, or disrespected her in any way.
About the above vision, I am aware that this was likely asked of me now,
so that some can point out faults in my thinking, how I am wrong etc.
That is ok, I accept that, and I also accept that I most likely made
mistakes in writing this vision today, and I am sure the other OSGeo
board members will help clarify this in January. I feel the process of
creating a vision, and following through with that, should involve each
and every OSGeo member, so I feel that I have nothing to hide and
everything to gain.
I would like to thank everyone, for again, being you, sharing the OSGeo
passion, doing what you can, whether it is by teaching, writing,
developing code, managing a business, learning something new, or just
following along, your help and smile is what gets me through these
challenging times.
I would also like to deeply thank those who reached out to me this week,
during this hard time on me, I will tell you that twice I was brought to
tears sitting at my computer here reading the small thanks for
representing them, sent from some far away country by a local leader. I
do this for you all.
Yours,
-jeff
