On Fri, Apr 4, 2014 at 10:32 PM, Steve Coast <st...@asklater.com> wrote: > SOTM EU and US, combined with the OSMF focus on being more of a theoretical > body have reduced the profit and motivation in doing a SOTM to approximately > zero. I hope it still happens, but I'd be surprised.
it wasn't so long ago [1] that people were writing they'd heard comments that OSM "had been devised by Steve as a way to make a heap of money from other peoples' effort", and there was recurring criticism that he was behaving in some sort of sinister way. so it's saddening, and not a little hypocritical, for steve to come out with the same sorts of "evil board" conspiracy theories now. the truth, as always, is more prosaic: back in September 2013, the SOTM working group reported "The time of one state of the map (and therefore all the sponsors) is over, so we need to think about the role in the conference(s) in funding the operations of the OSMF and server system. Previously it has been our main annual source of income." [2]. as a result, other funding options were explored, and the board minuted "The OSMF funding model for 2014 and beyond is based on a combined model .... OSMF organised conferences (State Of The Map) should continue to be at least self-financing." [3] in response. the suggestion that the SOTM working group members are not motivated is a new one to me. the last report from SOTM working group itself [4] did not say anything of the sort. if any of them are reading this and are feeling unable to continue, then - please! - let us know. i'm sure alternative plans can be made, and i understand how hard it is to push through to finishing something which has sapped all of your energy (see the license change saga). so, did OSMF reduce the profitability of SOTM - no. did OSMF reduce the motivation of SOTM organisers - no. i, also, hope that SOTM happens, and i hope it is very successful. OSMF working groups are made up of members of the community - like yourself - and if you feel strongly about some issues then i urge you to offer your assistance to a working group, or join one. the OSMF board is democratically elected and, although it's a lot of work, you might consider running at the next AGM (iirc, at SOTM14). cheers, matt (opinions above are solely my own except for quotations drawn from the sources below) [1] https://lists.openstreetmap.org/pipermail/legal-talk/2007-March/000217.html [2] https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EZHwUhWoRJ__DzmIW-FgzEKktji9AZQ1K_UDFx_PXrc/pub [3] http://wiki.osmfoundation.org/wiki/Board_Meeting_Minutes_2013-12-10 [4] https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LVGogPGbFT88bfNY1MpK5PRZA9qi1Ys6QFz0Cl7OYcY/pub _______________________________________________ talk mailing list talk@openstreetmap.org https://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk