GeoConnexion Column

This is the home page for "Open Sources", the OSGeo column in GeoConnexion magazine. Contact mpg if you're interested in helping out.

Past Columns

 * (1) introductory column (Michael P. Gerlek)
 * published May 2007 PDF


 * (2) ossimPlanet (Mark Lucas)
 * published June 2007 PDF


 * (3) BigTIFF (Frank Warmerdam)
 * published July/August 2007 PDF


 * (4) TOPP/GeoServer (Chris Holmes)
 * published September 2007 PDF


 * (5) "The Gift Economy Ain't Free: Getting Help with Open Source Software" (Howard Butler and Chris Schmidt)
 * published, October (or November?) 2007 PDF


 * (6) OpenLayers + TileCache (Schuyler Erle)
 * published, December 2007/January 2008 PDF


 * (7) Mapbender (Arnulf Christl)
 * published, February 2008 PDF


 * (8) GRASS (Malte Halbey-Martin)
 * published, March 2008 PDF


 * (9) MapServer (Steve Lime)
 * published, April 2008 PDF


 * (10) GeoNetwork (Jeroen Ticheler)
 * published, May 2008 PDF


 * (11) Public GeoData (Jo Walsh)
 * published, June 2008 PDF


 * (12) deegree and Spatial Data Infrastructues using FOSS (Markus Lupp and Jens Fitzke)
 * published, July/August 2008 PDF


 * (13) "MapWindow GIS: Developer Tools for the .NET Platform" (Daniel P. Ames)
 * published, September 2008 PDF


 * (14) "GeoDjango: A synergy of python, geospatial, and the web" (Dane Springmeyer)
 * published, October 2008 PDF


 * (15) "OpenLayers: bringing maps to the web with JavaScript" (Chris Schmidt)
 * published, November 2008 PDF


 * (16) "Open - for Business" (Paul Ramsey)
 * published, Dec 2008 / Jan 2009 PDF


 * (17) (Standards and Open Source) (OGC Staff)
 * published, Feb 2009 PDF


 * (18) "Obama Campaign Mapping Voters with MapServer, PostGIS, and OpenLayers" (Karsten Vennemann)
 * published, Mar 2009 PDF

Future Columns

 * (19) "FOSS4G – More than an international Geospatial Open Source conference" (Cameron Shorter)
 * to be published, Apr 2009 (in preparation)


 * (20) (File formats and open standards) (Landon Blake)
 * to be published, May 2009 (in preparation, due mid-March)


 * (21) (about open standards/source/data in the Archaeology world) (Joanne Cook)
 * to be published, June 2009 (in preparation, due mid-April)


 * (22) (Toronto code sprint notes) (Michael P. Gerlek)
 * to be published, July 009 (in preparation, due mid-May)

Editorial Notes
The following guidelines are from the GeoConnexions Editor (currently Roger Longhorn).

(1) A column in our magazine is 1 page in length. An example is here. Total number of words is about 800. It can be less but not more. If you wish to add an image, then shoot for around 600 words. Try to include the writer's pic at 300 dpi and their affiliation and email - this lets readers identify with the person writing and provides a point of contact.

(2) Images are a big issue for hardcopy print, especially computer images because they are only 72 dpi usually. Print quality is 300 dpi. That means 300 pixels per square inch for the print process. Most screen captures are reduced to 1/5th their original size when printed - usually causing us to throw them out because they represent the content poorly. Stretching a 72 dpi image to resize it means one still ends up with a 72 dpi image, only bigger. Please aim for 300 dpi if submitting images.

(3) Content - My policy is to support expression. Someone writes it, I'll support it. I only edit for spelling, grammar and what I consider to be outright libelous. The writer should stand behind their expression. As I mentioned earlier, I am not a programmer. I need your help to peer review programming content (which is why the 'contact point' ) will work well. Ultimately everything in the column will reflect on OSGeo. It's your column, you choose the content. Our Media Pack describes Themes for issues by edition throughout the year. I use these as a guideline.

(4) Reprint - I am a supporter of the creator maintaining all rights. Whomever submits material owns it as far as I am concerned. All I ask is that we have first right to print (we compete on the basis originality). Once printed, you may do whatever you wish with the material, you own it. We usually archive it online and columns are available for distribution online. Since hardcopy prints are a fixed cost, they can be purchased if anyone wants a few hundred. I don't know the cost, a marketing person can help if needed. Our Media Pack is here.

(5) Timeline - I am usually working 90-100 days ahead of time. Be aware that there is delay in hardcopy and get material in early. On the flip side, we publish our articles to online almost immediately after hardcopy production.