Jeff,
Many thanks for the great job you are doing in
representing OSGeo with selfless dedication
and for sharing your vision with all of us.
I wish you great fun and safe travel for representing OSGeo at
the GISConf in Moscow [1] that is coming up this weekend.
Best
Venka
[1] http://gisconf.ru/
On 2015/11/16 4:13, Jeff McKenna wrote:
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
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