OSGeo Conference Policy
Relevance to Mission and Goals
One of OSGeo's organisational Goals is To operate an annual OSGeo Conference, possibly in cooperation with related efforts (eg. EOGEO).
FOSS4G happens somewhere in the world once a year. In some places Free and Open Source GIS conferences and conference tracks are organised independently by local user groups.
FOSS4G conferences
Defined as "meeting of the tribes" with low fee workshops and relatively low fee conference.
TBD:
- keep as-is or make more money through higher priced workshops? See "Notes" below.
Higher priced workshops could allow for either:
- maximising profitability of the conference to support more of OSGeo's running expenses. In addition this could allow instructors to be compensated better for their efforts.
- lowering entrance fee or subsidising entry for students or for attendees from economically disadvantaged areas
See:
Location
A North American or European value may enable OSGeo to charge more, and may enable more developers to attend.
"OSGeo Teach-in" events
- New workshop scheme proposed by some board member(s)/charter member(s) as commercial event with relatively high fee
- TBD:
- Is a new "OSGeo Teach-in" committee needed to process such external requests (committee reports to board then)?
- how is the OSGeo brand used (see title). Financial return to OSGeo?
- who handles event: OSGeo itself or 3rd party
- how avoid conflict of interest if board member participate and receive financial compensation
- how to avoid tensions in the community: will commercial "OSGeo Teach-in" events jeopardize voluntary efforts?
- what is the processing of such external request (be from OSGeo members, be from external people)? Board approval needed, Marketing team approval needed?
Partnership and Profit
If OSGeo were to commercialize as opposed to supporting commercial activities -- this spirit of partnership would be jeopardized.
In the "vanilla" FOSS4G model, OSGeo places the deposit and assumes full financial risk.
In the "hybrid" model such as that pursued with GISSA, OSGeo partners with another (not-for-profit) organisation and splits both the risk and the chance to direct any proceeds.
In a "commercial" model OSGeo could enter into an agreement with a for-profit company to assume the risk but in return take a significant share of any profits.