Difference between revisions of "Intergeo 2006 Report"

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Entwicklungsseite zum Bereicht zur Intergeo, der dann in das OSGeo Wiki überführt wird.
 
 
Wer noch Bilder hat oder interessante Anmerkungen, bitte gleich hier bzw. später im OSGeo Wiki einbinden.
 
 
''Please observe that this page has been optimized for a screen resolution of at least 10024*768 pixels.''
 
 
 
== Impressions from the Intergeo 2006 ==
 
== Impressions from the Intergeo 2006 ==
The OSGeo Foundation operated the Open Source Park of the [[Intergeo 2006]] together with the Hinte-Messe GmbH, organizer of the Intergeo trade fair and conference. Read more about the organization on the [[Intergeo 2006]] page. It includes the floor plan with the list of the FOSS projects and businesses appearing on the OSGeo Open Source Park.  
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The OSGeo Foundation operated the Open Source Park of the Intergeo 2006 together with the Hinte-Messe GmbH, organizer of the exhibition and conference. Read more about the organization on the [[Intergeo 2006]] page. There you can find the floor plan and the list of FOSS projects and businesses that appeared on the OSGeo Open Source Park.  
  
With an exhibition area of 29 by 16 meters (95 by 50 feet) and two additional surrounding 10 by 5 meter (30 by 15 feet) rest areas the OSGeo Open Source Park was one of the largest booths. The focus of the trade show is clearly business and end customer oriented, the on and off hacker could be seen lurking around to get hooked up to the internet but mostly it was suits and users. Several thousand people came to the booth to pick up OSGeo flyers and listen to the presentations. Those who wanted to get more detailed information talked to the booth staff of roundabout 20 people from all areas of IT and FOSS GIS business. In short - it was a great success.
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With an exhibition area of 30 by 16 meters (95 by 50 feet) and two rest areas of 10 by 5 meter (30 by 15 feet) the OSGeo Open Source Park was one of the largest booths at the fair. The focus of the Intergeo trade show is clearly business and end customer oriented. The on and off hacker could be seen lurking around to get hooked up to the internet but mostly it was suits and users. Several thousand people (of the 15,000 total) that came ot the Intergeo also came to the OSGeo booth to pick up flyers, listen to presentations. Those who wanted to get more detailed information talked to the booth staff of roundabout 30 people from all areas of IT and FOSS GIS business. In short - it was a great success.
  
 
== Open Source Park Infrastructure ==
 
== Open Source Park Infrastructure ==
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[[Image:Overview.jpg|thumb|375px|center|Overview of the exhibition area]]
 
[[Image:Overview.jpg|thumb|375px|center|Overview of the exhibition area]]
  
The forum hosted 60 presentations in three days, a well attended event with a broad mixture of technology, Foundation issues, businesses and many productive applications that were presented by the corresponding users.  
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The forum hosted 60 presentations in three days, a well attended event with a broad mixture of technology, Foundation issues, businesses and many productive applications that were presented by the corresponding users. Due to the FIG event, the meeting of the Federacion International de Geoinformatique held every three years, international attendance was very high, approximately one third of the presentations therefore was held in English language.
Due to the FIG event, the meeting of the Federacion International de Geoinformatique held every three years, international attendance was very high, approximately one third of the presentations therefore was held in English language.
 
  
 
== OSGeo Booth and Community Area ==
 
== OSGeo Booth and Community Area ==
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[[Image:Gav grass public geo data manifesto.jpg|thumb|420px|center|Public Geodata support by GAV]]
 
[[Image:Gav grass public geo data manifesto.jpg|thumb|420px|center|Public Geodata support by GAV]]
  
The other half of the booth was commited to the physical well-being of the guests and booth staff with coffee, water, snacks etc. The consumption of (insert number) cups of coffee by visitors (staff not counted) can be taken as an approximation of the number of people taking more time than to just pick up (several thousand) flyers.
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The other half of the booth was commited to the physical well-being of the guests and booth staff with coffee, water, snacks etc. The consumption of 2500 cups of coffee by visitors (staff not counted) can be taken as an approximation of the number of people taking more time than to just pick up over 4000 flyers.
  
 
[[Image:Rest area crowded forum.jpg|thumb|475px|center|Rest area in the foreground, action at the forum]]
 
[[Image:Rest area crowded forum.jpg|thumb|475px|center|Rest area in the foreground, action at the forum]]
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[[Image:Listen rest hack.jpg|thumb|475px|center|From across the rest area people could follow the presentations in the forum]]
 
[[Image:Listen rest hack.jpg|thumb|475px|center|From across the rest area people could follow the presentations in the forum]]
  
Even with a good loadful of coffee some could not (or wanted to) follow all presentations.  
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Even with a good loadful of coffee some did not follow all presentations that attentively.  
  
 
[[Image:Signs of exhaustion.jpg|thumb|620px|center|For those about to rock - or take a nap]]
 
[[Image:Signs of exhaustion.jpg|thumb|620px|center|For those about to rock - or take a nap]]
  
 
== Geospatial FOSS Business Exhibitors ==
 
== Geospatial FOSS Business Exhibitors ==
[[Intergeo_2006#Professional_Service_Provider_Exhibitors | Ten service providers and businesses]] presented their services on the OSGeo Open Source Park. Their fianncial contribution allowed OSGeo to have a booth and provide space and connectivity to Geospatial FOSS projects. All kinds of companies were represented. Some of them into core software development, others focused on training and education, one ASP (application service provider) vendor and as global player Autodesk gave a thorough insight on how diverse FOSS business can be.
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[[Intergeo_2006#Professional_Service_Provider_Exhibitors | Ten service providers and businesses]] presented their services on the OSGeo Open Source Park. Their fianncial contribution allowed OSGeo to have a booth and provide space and connectivity to Geospatial FOSS projects. All kinds of companies were represented. Some of them into core software development, others focused on training and education, one ASP (application service provider) vendor and the global player Autodesk. Visitors could get a thorough insight on how diverse FOSS business can be.
  
[[Image:Gelock geo-consortium 52n.jpg|center|thumb|650px|GeoLock, Geo-Consortium, 52N]]
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[[Image:Gelock geo-consortium 52n.jpg|center|thumb|650px|GeoLock, Geo-Consortium (now WhereGroup), 52N]]
  
 
[[Image:Idgis latlon delphi-imm intevation autodesk.jpg|center|thumb|550px|IDGIS, lat/lon, Delphi-IMM, Intevation, Autodesk]]
 
[[Image:Idgis latlon delphi-imm intevation autodesk.jpg|center|thumb|550px|IDGIS, lat/lon, Delphi-IMM, Intevation, Autodesk]]
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The focus of the OSGeo booth at the Intergeo was on FOSS business and service providers. Interest in the software and developemt processes was far less than at the [[LinuxTag 2006]] which makes sense considering the different focus of the events.
 
The focus of the OSGeo booth at the Intergeo was on FOSS business and service providers. Interest in the software and developemt processes was far less than at the [[LinuxTag 2006]] which makes sense considering the different focus of the events.
  
Still by far most questions asked by normal folk focused on availability, licensing and complaints about not getting an geospatial data.
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By far most frequently asked question by normal folk was about geodata. Lacking availability, high cost, unreal licensing conditions and complaints about not getting any geospatial data were the most emotionally discussed topics.  
  
== Next Year ==
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== Next Year ==
It would be cool to get more developers involved and have an area for them to meet and collaborate face to face as it happened a lot at FOSS4G (especially GeoTools).  
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It would be cool to get more developers involved at [[Intergeo 2007]] and have an area for them to meet and collaborate face to face as it happened a lot at FOSS4G (especially GeoTools). Possibly some international folk would consider to come and talk or even have their own booth there. Geospatial Free and Open Source Software is a big thing in Europe and it is growing. It is not a hype anymore but business as usual supported by a healthy ecosystem of businesses.
  
Possibly some international folk would consider to come and talk or even have their own booth there. Geospatial Free and Open Source Software is a big thing in Europe and growing. No, it is not a hype anymore it is business as usual but growing. A healthy business has evolved and is prepared to grow.
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[[Category:Past Events]]

Latest revision as of 01:22, 18 October 2012

Impressions from the Intergeo 2006

The OSGeo Foundation operated the Open Source Park of the Intergeo 2006 together with the Hinte-Messe GmbH, organizer of the exhibition and conference. Read more about the organization on the Intergeo 2006 page. There you can find the floor plan and the list of FOSS projects and businesses that appeared on the OSGeo Open Source Park.

With an exhibition area of 30 by 16 meters (95 by 50 feet) and two rest areas of 10 by 5 meter (30 by 15 feet) the OSGeo Open Source Park was one of the largest booths at the fair. The focus of the Intergeo trade show is clearly business and end customer oriented. The on and off hacker could be seen lurking around to get hooked up to the internet but mostly it was suits and users. Several thousand people (of the 15,000 total) that came ot the Intergeo also came to the OSGeo booth to pick up flyers, listen to presentations. Those who wanted to get more detailed information talked to the booth staff of roundabout 30 people from all areas of IT and FOSS GIS business. In short - it was a great success.

Open Source Park Infrastructure

OSGeo booth in the morning sun

This picture is taken from the perspective of guests coming to the OSGeo Open Source Park down the main aisle. The rotunda above the exhibition area could be seen from anywhere down the hall. It shows the OSGeo compass logo, and the caption "OSGeo.org" and "Open Source Park".

Presentation forum with high power projector, microphone and speaker system. Peter ter Haar presenting Autodesk MapGuide Open Source

A large screen, projector, internet connection and conference speaker system was provided by the exhibiting businesses who presented their FOSS projects and services. Just like at the FOSSGIS 2006 conference a lot of users presented their productive solutions. These comprise city map services and application interfaces, state wide spatial data infrastructures or more specialized applications like the geothermal hot spot information system implemented by MapMedia with UMN MapServer technology.

Forum for Presentations
Overview of the exhibition area

The forum hosted 60 presentations in three days, a well attended event with a broad mixture of technology, Foundation issues, businesses and many productive applications that were presented by the corresponding users. Due to the FIG event, the meeting of the Federacion International de Geoinformatique held every three years, international attendance was very high, approximately one third of the presentations therefore was held in English language.

OSGeo Booth and Community Area

In the middle of the Free Community Area right beside the presentation forum was the main OSGeo booth.

Cmunity area and OSGeo booth (on the right hand side)
Discussing and taking a rest at the OSGeo booth

Several FOSS projects had representatives present their software and discuss with people.

FOSS projects on the left and coffee served by professional fair hostesses during a rare moment where one could actually see the booth. The forum with presentations can be seen in the background.

The left half of the OSGeo booth was dedicated to OSGeo and FOSS projects (including presentation space and internet connectivity for free as in "free beer") and gave visitors the opportunity to talk about OSGeo in general or individual projects in detail.

The GAV (GRASS Anwenderverein) with poster
Public Geodata support by GAV

The other half of the booth was commited to the physical well-being of the guests and booth staff with coffee, water, snacks etc. The consumption of 2500 cups of coffee by visitors (staff not counted) can be taken as an approximation of the number of people taking more time than to just pick up over 4000 flyers.

Rest area in the foreground, action at the forum
Random shot into the crowd...
From across the rest area people could follow the presentations in the forum

Even with a good loadful of coffee some did not follow all presentations that attentively.

For those about to rock - or take a nap

Geospatial FOSS Business Exhibitors

Ten service providers and businesses presented their services on the OSGeo Open Source Park. Their fianncial contribution allowed OSGeo to have a booth and provide space and connectivity to Geospatial FOSS projects. All kinds of companies were represented. Some of them into core software development, others focused on training and education, one ASP (application service provider) vendor and the global player Autodesk. Visitors could get a thorough insight on how diverse FOSS business can be.

GeoLock, Geo-Consortium (now WhereGroup), 52N
IDGIS, lat/lon, Delphi-IMM, Intevation, Autodesk
Jörg Thomsen of MapMedia gives his presentation on Festpunktinformationssysteme

People

In the name of the OSGeo and all participating companies a big Thank You to all volunteers and activists who helped make the OSGeo Open Source Park this successful! A special thanks goes to Torsten Brassat and Athina Trakas who made this possible in the first place.

Torsten Brassat - slightly maxed out...
Athina Trakas happy because it is done
Jan-Oliver Wagner and Arnulf Christl

After Hours

On the second day some booths traditoinally have an after hours party with people mixing from every end of the exhibition park. The Geo-Consortium sponsored two steel kegs of beer to quench one's thirst. People from all vendors strolled over to have a chat with the Open Source guys only to find out that they are friendly folks who are having fun at what they do.

Jört Thomsen gets himself a deserved beer at the OSGeo After Hours Party

Focus and Interests

The focus of the OSGeo booth at the Intergeo was on FOSS business and service providers. Interest in the software and developemt processes was far less than at the LinuxTag 2006 which makes sense considering the different focus of the events.

By far most frequently asked question by normal folk was about geodata. Lacking availability, high cost, unreal licensing conditions and complaints about not getting any geospatial data were the most emotionally discussed topics.

Next Year

It would be cool to get more developers involved at Intergeo 2007 and have an area for them to meet and collaborate face to face as it happened a lot at FOSS4G (especially GeoTools). Possibly some international folk would consider to come and talk or even have their own booth there. Geospatial Free and Open Source Software is a big thing in Europe and it is growing. It is not a hype anymore but business as usual supported by a healthy ecosystem of businesses.