I apologize in advance for the rambling post, its been a long day.
One of the biggest challenges I face when selling Mapserver to my various bosses is that they continuously confuse Mapserver with a mapserver (application that serves maps). As brilliantly simple as the name is, it is just plain confusing to those not in the know.
A typical conversation goes like this:
Boss: "Are we using ArcIMS for our web site?"
Me: "No, we use Mapserver."
Boss: "No, I know we have a mapserver, but what application is it?"
Me: "Mapserver."
Boss: "Yes, what is it?"
Me: "Mapserver, its an Open Source application hosted by the University of Minnesota."
Boss: "How much does it cost?"
Me: "It's Open Source, you can download it for free."
Boss: "Say what?"
Me: "Our web mapping application was free."
Boss: "But what is its name?"
Usually at this point I give out an exasperated groan and bring up the Mapserver web site. If we don't have time to go through the above ritual the boss-type just ends up walking away confused.
The point is there is quite a bit of ambiguity in the name. In a world that obsesses over branding and labeling Mapserver has an almost post-modern simplicity that seems to confuse absolutely everyone.
On 11/30/05, Allan Doyle <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
On Nov 30, 2005, at 16:20, P Kishor wrote:
> How 'bout...
>
> MapServer Foundation ( www.mapserverfoundation.org)
> - Web Application Server aka MapServer (was.mapserverfoundation.org)
> - Spatial Application Server aka Autodesk Mapguide
> (sas.mapserverfoundation.org)
> - Studio aka Autodesk Studio (studio.mapserverfoundation.org)
> - PostGIS ( postgis.mapserverfoundation.org)
> - PROJ.4 (proj4.mapserverfoundation.org)
> - GDAL ( gdal.mapserverfoundation.org)
> - MapTools (maptools.mapserverfoundation.org)
> - Chameleon (chameleon.mapserverfoundation.org )
>
How about Geographic Commons Foundation or Geospatial Commons
Foundation - www.geocommons.org.
Have the projects called whatever makes sense.
This also leaves room for Geographic Data Commons as a "sister"
organization if it ever happens. (http://www.spatial.maine.edu/
geodatacommons/)
Allan
--
Allan Doyle
+1.781.433.2695
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
