Live GIS Disc Press Release 18

--- DRAFT ---

=Call for interest in OSGeo-Live 5.0=

8 May 2011

We are starting to build the 5.0 OSGeo-Live DVD which will be released at FOSS4G 2011 this September where it will be handed out to all delegates. We would like to hear from anyone wishing to add new projects to OSGeo-Live, anyone who would like to use OSGeo-Live in workshops, tutorials or similar, or anyone who has ideas on how we should shape the upcoming release.

Which project version?
Could each installed project please update our status sheet to note the expected version to be installed on OSGeo-Live 5.0. Status sheet.

Priorities for next release
TBD: Update the remaining content (it was cut from a previous release)

Use Natural Earth dataset for examples
In order to ensure consistency and reduce disk space used, we ask that, where appropriate, examples use the common Natural Earth dataset, as explained here.

Translations
We expect to have main pages, Project Overviews and possibly OGC Standard Overviews translated into multiple languages for this next release. People have already translated much of the documentation into German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese and Greek.

Could all projects please update your English Project Overviews as soon as you can to give translators enough time to translate.

Please contact us if you are able to help with translation, or would like to translate a new language. The process is described here.

Quick Starts
Half the packaged projects had Quick Starts written for the last release (4.0) and we'd like to see Quick Starts for all projects for the next release. One of our users has volunteered to review Quick Starts for usability and help projects capture screen grabs. This is a big job and we'd like to hear from anyone else who'd can help out.

Again, could projects please update Quick Starts early to allow time for review and screen grabs.

User Testing
With ~ 50 applications to be packaged on the next OSGeo-Live, our core OSGeo-Live team have not had time to run all the Quickstart applications. We would really like some help. If you have very little experience with OSGeo software, then all the better, as you would be like a typical first time user of OSGeo-Live.

Running this user testing is one of the best ways to become familiar with the breath of OSGeo Software available. If interested, please join the OSGeo List, and start running Quick Starts as soon as they have been completed by projects.

OGC Standard Overviews
The OGC have already written one page overviews for half the OGC standards and have committed to writing up the remaining standards for then next release. We will be calling on the standards community to help review these standards to ensure they are accurate, clear and understandable.

Key Milestones

 * 24 Jan 2011 Application Overviews ready for Review
 * 31 Jan 2011 Application Feature Freeze
 * 21 Feb 2011 Deliver to User Acceptance Test
 * 14 Mar 2011 Final sent to printers

[http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Al9zh8DjmU_RdE1SYUN3YWJ2N1NpSUczbW9IRWZNclE&hl=en_GB ... full schedule]

About OSGeo-Live
OSGeo-live is an XUbuntu based distribution of Geospatial Open Source Software, available via a Live DVD, Virtual Machine and soon to be released USB. You can use OSGeo-Live to try a wide variety of open source geospatial software without installing anything.

Contact Us?
Website: http://live.osgeo.org

Mailing List: http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/live-demo

or contact Cameron Shorter directly at: cameronD O TshorterATlisasoftD O Tcom.