'Re: [OSGeo-Discuss] [Marketing] Marketing meeting to finalise definition of an OSGeo Ambassador role'

[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread] 

List:       osgeo-discuss
Subject:    Re: [OSGeo-Discuss] [Marketing] Marketing meeting to finalise definition of an OSGeo Ambassador role
From:       Cameron Shorter <cameron.shorter () gmail ! com>
Date:       2012-05-31 12:33:55
Message-ID: 4FC76533.50607 () gmail ! com
[Download RAW message or body]

Based on feedback from a number of you, I've update the wiki and 
endeavoured to simply the Ambassador role.
I've removed the concept of "Categories", and have instead changed it 
to: "Understanding OSGeo Roles"
http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/OSGeo_Ambassador#Understanding_OSGeo_roles

All ambassadors will come under the same heading (maybe ordered by 
country?).

Then each ambassador can add a list of "OSGeo Roles" that they have filled.

On 31/05/2012 10:12 PM, Jeroen Ticheler wrote:
> Thanks Puneet,
> 
> Good to have some sharpening opinions here that reveal that most of us likely agree \
> with the need for an easy to find pool of prominent OSGeo ambassadors. 
> And yes, also those promotors that are not CMs could be Ambassadors in my opinion. \
> It would just be nice if they connected a little more to OSGeo and become charter \
> members also :-) 
> Cheers,
> Jeroen
> 
> On 31 mei 2012, at 13:03, Puneet Kishor wrote:
> 
> > top posting...
> > 
> > 
> > To be clear, I am completely for the need that the proposed "ambassadors" would \
> > fulfill. I am against -- 
> > 1. Creating another level of organizational complexity; and
> > 
> > 2. The club-ish language in the proposal that seems to create a subjective \
> > value-laden hierarchy. 
> > I personally know folks who are not even a charter member who generate an immense \
> > amount of goodwill through their work with open source GeoSpatial technologies, \
> > and would also make great ambassadors for the general principles and ideas that \
> > power OSGeo. 
> > As CMs, we have no other responsibility currently other than voting for the \
> > Board. This has been lamented by many. Well, here is an opportunity. We already \
> > have a db of CMs and their locations. Let us add to that our willingness to \
> > speak/demo/present on behalf of OSGeo at events in our area (some of us already \
> > do that, ahem). Then, when an event organizer is looking for a speaker, a CM in \
> > that event area can be contacted and asked to speak. What could be simpler? 
> > /purely pointless personal viewpoint ahead not meriting a response:
> > No, having kings and queens is not natural, not in today's day and age. But, that \
> > is neither here nor there. 
> > On May 31, 2012, at 5:16 AM, Jeroen Ticheler<jeroen.ticheler@geocat.net>  wrote:
> > 
> > > Dear Puneet,
> > > 
> > > The idea is that conference organizers usually look for people to give keynotes \
> > > etcetera at their event that have a higher than average visibility so they will \
> > > attract a large audience to the conference in order to make it a success. Isn't \
> > > it kind of natural to have such leaders in communities that stand out? We call \
> > > them presidents, kings and queens, ministers, ambassadors, Nobel prize winners \
> > > etc.. They are not super humans and we are not worth less than them. But \
> > > reality is that it works this way. Even communist systems didn't manage to make \
> > > us all equal. My street will be pretty crowded when our queen would walk by, \
> > > but is very silent when I walk by. Still I consider myself equally human and \
> > > accept that we all have different roles in life. 
> > > We as OSGeo are not much different. It kind of makes natural sense to have our \
> > > community leaders stand out a little more, even if it is just for the benefit \
> > > of our community. More publicity and thus more value for OSGeo. 
> > > At the same time the discussion of having Ambassadors should not be mixed with \
> > > OSGeo's democratic / do-ocratic nature. It will not create a new hierarchy \
> > > level with a special voting right or so. It is "just" a way to do a better job \
> > > towards the outside world in marketing OSGeo. The last years have shown that \
> > > just on that aspect we need to do a better job and that it doesn't work to have \
> > > the whole community serve as community leaders. 
> > > Just to be sure: I am NOT saying that we shouldn't ALL volunteer time and \
> > > energy to OSGeo. Just that I think there are very good reasons to also have \
> > > Ambassadors (or whatever we call them). 
> > > Cheers,
> > > Jeroen
> > > 
> > > On 31 mei 2012, at 00:29, Puneet Kishor wrote:
> > > 
> > > > On May 30, 2012, at 5:14 PM, Cameron Shorter wrote:
> > > > 
> > > > > On 31/05/2012 12:08 AM, Jo Cook wrote:
> > > > > > My thoughts- initially I thought the idea was too complicated, but if we \
> > > > > > envisage outside organisations/conferences coming to us for speakers, \
> > > > > > then we will need something like you suggest. I wonder, in all honesty, \
> > > > > > how much that is going to happen, but at least we will have somewhere to \
> > > > > > point them to.
> > > > > Jo,
> > > > > In 2012, there have been 22 events that I'm aware of that have/are planning \
> > > > > to made use of the OSGeo-Live DVD (or the presentation): \
> > > > > http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Live_GIS_History 
> > > > > At most/all of these events there an OSGeo presentation, usually based upon \
> > > > > our OSGeo-Live presentation, and I've usually been involved in finding \
> > > > > someone to give these presentations. 
> > > > > I suspect that Arnulf and others could testify to similar numbers of \
> > > > > approaches. 
> > > > > So, from personal experience, I would find it very useful to have a list of \
> > > > > ambassadors to point conference organisors at. 
> > > > 
> > > > Here is what I don't understand --
> > > > 
> > > > Why call them "ambassadors"?
> > > > 
> > > > Why not simply have a list of Charter Members who have volunteered to make \
> > > > themselves available all around the world, and then, when an event comes up, \
> > > > ask the CMs close by (the event) if they would give a presentation, stand at \
> > > > a booth, demo an OSGeo-Live DVD, etc.? 
> > > > In fact, I would contend that such volunteers need not even be a CM. They can \
> > > > simply be *any* user of OSGeo-endorsed products and knowledgeable about OSGeo \
> > > > in general. 
> > > > Personally, I am with Jo in that I find this a needless extra hierarchy, but \
> > > > more than that, (as I mentioned in an earlier email), I find the language of \
> > > > the proposal a bit off-the-spirit of OSGeo. I point to the following text \
> > > > fragments in particular, as they connote "clubs" -- 
> > > > "elite of the OSGeo community"
> > > > "outstanding leadership in the greater OSGeo community"
> > > > "strongly contested selective process"
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > --
> > > > Puneet Kishor
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > Discuss mailing list
> > > > Discuss@lists.osgeo.org
> > > > http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
> _______________________________________________
> Marketing mailing list
> Marketing@lists.osgeo.org
> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/marketing

-- 
Cameron Shorter
Geospatial Solutions Manager
Tel: +61 (0)2 8570 5050
Mob: +61 (0)419 142 254

Think Globally, Fix Locally
Geospatial Solutions enhanced with Open Standards and Open Source
http://www.lisasoft.com

_______________________________________________
Discuss mailing list
Discuss@lists.osgeo.org
http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss

[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread] 