OSGeo proposal for Francophone Local Chapter

OSGeo-fr | Section Organisation libre = Proposal for the creation of the Francophone Local Chapter (OSGeo-fr)= Reference links:
 * Local Chapter Guidelines
 * OSGeo Memberships
 * India Local Chapter

Introduction
The purpose of the formation of a Francophone Local Chapter (OSGeo-fr) is to join French speaker in a Francophone geospatial community. This community aims to promote OSGeo and its missions, promote geospatial software, create spatial data, help people for using geospatial software providing internationalized software and documentation, etc. These purposes are only few example, the missions of the OSGeo-fr will be explain in details further. Promoting OSGeo projects have to be close enough to the local problems : language barrier, francophone specificity (character encoding, local projection, etc.), and will allow to promote open source software at the local level.

Language barrier
English is the language the most used in development project and it is not always well spoken. That's why it is so important to allow non native English people to contribute and use free and open source geospatial software. Share informations, documentations in French is one of the main purpose for a Francophone Local Chapter. Of course, a lot of other project could be manage, as free data promotion, local development, etc.

Francophone specificity
Character encoding and local projection are best example to show local specificity. The local chapter will link local user to international developer in order to improve technical implementation of the local specificity and issues.

Promoting OS software at the local level
GFOSS are more and more use into companies. They are not always well-known and demo, documentation or comparison are always welcome. Proprietary softwares have got a better marketing and they are taught in University. Only a local network could be change this situation first by teaching lectures about GFOSS : GFOSS comparison, workshop, explaining why GFOSS are better than proprietary software. This will one of the main missions of the local chapter: proposing educating materials with the Educating Committee from the OSGeo. Secondly by demoing GFOSS in trade show.

Structure and Legal status
OSGeo Francophone Chapter is, presently, like OSGeo India Chapter, a voluntary organization, and has not been registered as a legal body. This could be changed as it is easier to manage funds and financial supports form companies.

The Local Chapter welcome all people speaking in French and who wants to share information about GFOSS. The Francophone Local Chapter is open to all members of the geospatial community speaking in French. We do not discriminate based on age, gender, race, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, or disability.

Organization
Organization of the Local Chapter is similar to its missions. The president of the Local Chapter aims to link the OSGeo to the Local Community, reports annually about projects and missions of the Local Chapter. Some other missions could be added by the Local Chapter Community. For each group of missions, there is a committee with a Committee Leader. Inside each Committee, a project is defined by an objective with a Project Leader. This allow Committee Leader to delegate some tasks.

Here are the three Committees to create:
 * 1) Organization Committee
 * 2) Free Data Committee
 * 3) Free & OS Software Committee

Everybody can contribute to one or more project, but can not manage two committees (availability, diversity, etc.) except if nobody wants to be elected to.

RFC will determine more precisely how OSGeo-fr will organize itself and could be changed if needed. For example, a RFC will describe how election will be managed.

To contact and share ideas and information, the Local Chapter is using the [Francophone] mailing list. The wiki will archive all information and will be the formal and official reference for all question.

Members of the Local Chapter is organize like OSGeo does with Participants, Members, Board. Companies have a special role. They will be allowed to support the Local Chapter by financial supports/Sponshorship using the OSGeo Sponsoship System.

Missions
The missions are listed below. For each of them, we plan some projects. These projects are not exhautif and can be modified or some added if enough people are interesting for.


 * 1) Organization Committee
 * 2) * project 1: manage portals and wiki.
 * 3) * project 2: manage meeting and trade show.
 * 4) * project 3: promote OSGeo.
 * 5) Free Data Committee
 * 6) * project 1: promote free License.
 * 7) * project 2: host, share and publish free data.
 * 8) * project 3: help for liberating data.
 * 9) Free & OS Software committee
 * 10) * project 1: promote and demonstrate GFOS software.
 * 11) * project 2: localize, translate, customize GFOS software.
 * 12) * project 3: promote writing and translating documentation
 * 13) * project 4: support in French on mailing list and forum.

Francophone OSGeo Chapter Officers
Here are the persons who were elected:
 * President : Yves Jacolin
 * Organization Committee leader: Gwenael Bachelot
 * Data Committee leader: François Van der Biest
 * Software Committee leader: Vincent Picavet

You can contact each of us by sending a mail to the francophone mailing list.

Initial Membership

 * 1) Gérald Fenoy (Balaruc les Bains, France)
 * 2) François Van Der Biest - (Paris-Chambéry, France)
 * 3) Yves Jacolin (Suresnes, France)
 * 4) Frédéric Pouget
 * 5) Daniel Morissette - (Chicoutimi, Québec)
 * 6) Laurent Jégou - (Toulouse, France)
 * 7) Eve Rousseau - (Paris, France)
 * 8) Thierry Badard - (Québec, Qc, Canada)
 * 9) Gwenael Bachelot - (Paris, France)
 * 10) Ludovic Lestrat (Orléans, France)
 * 11) René-Luc D'Hont - (Montpellier, France)
 * 12) François Prunayre - (Limoges, France)
 * 13) David Jonglez - (Chambéry, France)
 * 14) Emmanuel Belo - (Lausanne, Suisse)
 * 15) Damien Corpataux - (Lausanne, Suisse)
 * 16) Arnaud Saint Léger - (Chambéry, France)
 * 17) Pierre Giraud - (Chambéry, France)
 * 18) Alexandre Saunier - (Lausanne, Suisse)
 * 19) Mathieu Coudert - (Chambéry, France)
 * 20) Vincent Picavet - (Paris, France).
 * 21) Christophe Tuffery - (Paris, France)
 * 22) Sidonie Christophe - (Paris, France)
 * 23) Julien-Samuel Lacroix - (Chicoutimi, Québec)
 * 24) Pierre-André Le Ny - (Paris, France)
 * 25) Olivier Travaglini - (Genève, Suisse)
 * 26) Alexandre Leroux - (Montréal, Québec)
 * 27)  Martin Fafard - (Laval, Québec)
 * 28)  Nicolas KLEIN - (La Rochelle, France)
 * 29)  Grégory BOURBON - (St Etienne, France)
 * 30)  Robin PREST - (Laon, France)
 * 31)  Marie Silvestre - (Paris, France).
 * 32)  Xavier Guipon - (Vanves, France)
 * 33)  Frédéric BARNAY - (Aix-en-Provence, France)
 * 34)  Thierry GONON - (Lagnieu, France)
 * 35)  Sylvain Théry - (Paris, France).
 * 36)  Jérome Gasperi - (Toulouse, France).
 * 37)  Chris HERMANSEN - (Grenoble, France).
 * 38)  Michel MAINGUENAUD - (Rouen, France).
 * 39)  Alain Bouju (Université de La Rochelle, France).
 * 40)  Mauro Gaio - (Pau, France).
 * 41)  Julien Lesbegueries - (Pau, France).
 * 42)  Pierre Loustau - (Pau, France).
 * 43)  Gilles Taladoire - (Nouméa, Nouvelle-Calédonie).
 * 44)  Touraïvane - (Nouméa, Nouvelle-Calédonie).
 * 45)  Hervé Halbout - (Caen, France).
 * 46)  Robert Jeansoulin - (Marne-la-Vallée, France).
 * 47)  Olivier Ertz.
 * 48)  Nicolas Gignac - (Ville de Québec, Québec).
 * 49)  Edouard Legoupil - (Accra, Ghana).
 * 50)  Denis Helfer - (Strasbourg, France)
 * 51)  Benoit Véler - (Grenoble, France)
 * 52)  Ludovic Granjon - (Barcelonnette, France)
 * 53)  Thomas Gratier - (Allanche, France)
 * 54)  Vincent Heurteaux - (Montpellier, France)
 * 55)  Souleymane Ousmane - (Niamey, NIGER)
 * 56)  Christophe Bredel - (St Jean d'angely, France)
 * 57)  Eric Lemoine - (Chambéry, France)
 * 58)  Jean-Michel Follin - (Le Mans, France)
 * 59)  Pierre Lagarde - (Orléans, France)