GeoConnexion Column

This is the home page for setting up OSGeo column in GeoConnexion magazine.

Planned Columns

If you would like to volunteer, please list your name and topic below.

Month listed is when final article is due to GeoConnexions (by end of month); publication is 2-4 months after that.

• March -- Intro to Open Source and OSGeo -- Michael P. Gerlek
  • mention FOSS4G

• April -- Mark Lucas -- ossimPlanet
  • draft completed

• May? -- BigTIFF -- Frank
  • hopefully to be published circa July/August as BigTIFF support is deployed
  • This article would be mostly about bigtiff, but touching on it's development and deployment in the open source as well as proprietary world.

• June -- TOPP/GeoServer -- Chris Holmes

• July -- MapGuide -- Bob Bray

• August -- Education -- PuneetK!

• OpenLayers (+ TileCache) -- SchuylerE!

• Mapbender -- Arnulf Christl

• MapServer -- SteveL!

• GRASS -- MarkusN!

• GeoNetwork -- Jeroen!

• Public GeoData -- JoW!

• MapBuilder -- CameronS?

• [topic?] -- Daniel Ames

• [topic?] -- Gary Watry

• Other Future Topics
  • GDAL
  • ChrisH: "I could also do something like show how GeoTools fosters uDig and GeoServer and how play in to one another, advances in one get picked up by the others, in a virtuous circle."

Editorial Notes (from Jeff Thurston)

(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.