EduCom Meeting 1 March 2007

Minutes

Mar 1, 2007
Tyler (TylerM), Gary (Gary_Watry), Perry (pnaciona), Markus (markus_N), Puneet (punkish), Aaron Racicot (racicot), Frank (FrankW) and Michael Gerlek (mpg) were present. Ned Horning
 * Present
 * By email

Discuss hosting edu material on OSGeo servers vs. linking to them on the wiki. Perry and Tyler were of the opinion that linking and hosting are not mutually exclusive.
 * Agenda

The meeting started at 4p UTC.

Ned Horning sent his comments by email. Ned favors the "links" approach, but also supports the possibility of hosting content on OSGeo servers. He suggests organizing the wiki a bit to make finding the materials easier.

Puneet expressed reservations about opening OSGeo hosting to content created by individuals outside of OSGeo, however, it seems from Frank's comments in his email that the concerns are unfounded, so that is settled as well.

Gary asked what if someone without their own server network puts together a good lesson, where does he store it? if it meets all the requirements and specs and is a acceptable product, where does it go for people to access it. Tyler rephrased it as _should_ OSGeo store if for him? Tyler responded that as long as we aren't putting OSGeo "stamp" and just anything that needs a home, he doesn't have any reservations about hosting material. Frank suggested http://download.osgeo.org as a possible location.

Tyler expressed the need for a good Drupal-based file management utility, but it will come in time. Perry emphasized that managing the files was really the meat of discussion.

Gary asked if we want to host a page with both links and uploads on it similiar to GeoNetwork Open Source software application. Puneet said that we can still organize the wiki into some loose categories... perhaps even separate from the existing education space on the wiki (Ned's suggestion).

Tyler said that the osgeo CMS could be used to accepting contributions like this.. we are needing something like this for our visibility committee 'library' of presentations and such. It would provide a form for entering in metadata, info and uploading a file. It also becomes searchable through www.osgeo.org/search

Frank said that if Tyler could write up a good decription of what you want, this is something that Gupteshwar or KK could likely take on.

Puneet asked if someone "official" would have to vet the file for relevance, etc. before it became public? Tyler suggested that only people from the committee can post items and that we'd discuss it first.

Gary said that it would be nice to go to one place and gettutorials regardless if it is Umass, ISU, UNC, FSU instead of having to google it. Tyler mentioned that the form for uploading content could also have  a field for a URL that points to external sources. So it becomes a directory of tutorials. Puneet suggest that yes, all submitted material can be linked off of a wiki page on "externally submitted tutorials" or some such. Tyler pointed out http://wiki.osgeo.org/index.php/Library as the part of the "library" he was talking about:

Gary suggested that someone else on educom should vet his stuff. Perry and Puneet suggested that there should be a few people who could do that within EduCom and WebCom, just announce it on the edu_discuss list and ask for someone to look at the work.

Gary hoped that he could put UDig, MapWindow, and Quantum up by the end of the School year, i.e. May 1st, and add OSSIM, OpenJump, and gvSIg by the fall i.e. Sept 1st

Puneet took the opportunity to commend Gary, for doing this. His active contribution in this is much appreciated and welcome.

Puneet mentioned that the processing of "vetting" from OSGeo side is only to ensure relevance to OSGeo's goal. That is not doubted at all in the case of your products, but that is just desired as a part of the process for any product.

Summary: TylerM to set up the forms/templates for tutorial submissions, that would likely be available from download.osgeo.org and also linked from the OSGeo library under a separate section (I will set up that section).

Tyler clarified that he will file a ticket for WebCom to help build the forms we need (via http://trac.osgeo.org/osgeo) then I will work with whoever is available to see how it goes

Puneet said that the submitted material will be vetted by OSGeo/Educom colleagues before it is actually made available for public consumption. Call for doing this vetting can be made on the edu_discuss list.

Perry expressed the desire to see see EduCom be more active here (IRC). Puneet mentioned that we can go back to our monthly meetings, but there were many reasons that trickled off. Puneet suggested reviving monthly meetings as well as increasing regular presence at the IRC.

Michael asked about contributing a piece fo the GeoConnextions column? Puneet said that he is aware of it, and will respond to it along with anyone else who might want to contribute.

Gary asked if anyone was going to Geotools as he is presenting there. Aaron mentioned that he will be there presenting as well. Puneet mentioned that one of his collegaues will be there presenting on a joint project.

The meeting ended at 5p UTC.