Ominiverdi's blog

There are a couple of initiatives that we would like to support and present in Barcelona 2010.
We still need to understand if they are sustainable and it's worth to support them.

1) Free GIS book
we have the chance to propose an excellent educational project in his first stable version. to do this we need some money.
we are trying to evaluate what it could be the minimum amount to reach version 1.
who could sponsor this? I would dream that the conference itself could sponsor it in part but if some entity is interested to support it it will be welcome.
home page: http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Libro_SIG (ESP).

2) Climate Change Integration Plugfest
This is the OGC initiative that will be presented in Sydney too. OGC is supposed to support it but it will be important to give then enough visibility and ideas (and maybe hardware).
The experience in Sydney will tell us what was good and what should be optimized for this initiative.
Announce page: http://www.opengeospatial.org/pressroom/pressreleases/951

3) the LiveDVD
In every FOSS4G event the LiveDVD is a good way to present the complete stack of our software. In Sydney it has been sponsored to make it better then usual. It would be good to find a little bit of money to update it and refine it.
ex: adding local Free geo-data from Spain, update last version of all OSGeo/fossGis software, adding educational material (the book?!?)...
GisLiveDisc project page: http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Live_GIS_Disc

ciao
lorenzo

Finally we've posted the first press release for the FOSS4G in Barcelona.

Last week, in Girona, we had the first meeting announcing FOSS4G 2010 and the feedback has been really exciting. We want to target FOSS4G to most people as possible because it will be a unique event.

Europe is facing the INSPIRE initiative, institutions need to update their systems, companies need to update their offers. Free Software is ready to fulfill all kinds of requests, the Free Software SDI in not myth. What's better than The Conference on Free Software for Geospatial to know all about the state of the art?

Barcelona is easy and cheap to reach from most of the occidental countries. It is possible to stay in Barcelona at fair prices if organising in time. We want to invite all geospatial enthusiasts offering discounts for early subscription since year 2009.

In Barcelona you're going to meet the most important programmers of the geospatial community. No proprietary vendor offers you this. Don't loose the chance to speak to who's really creating the software you use day by day.

An important challenge for the organising committee will be to join the international and the Spanish speaking communities. We'll try to offer translation, at least in Spanish, for the most important speeches. If your language community will come massively, expect to find a translation in your language too.

You can't miss it.

Stay tuned on OSGeo web site, Barcelona conference web site and OSGeo mailing lists.

ciao
lorenzo

Since the first FOSS4G I've visited as freelance, in Lausanne 2006, I've been dreaming to organize one in the town I'm living.
In the last few year I've moved to Barcelona and I've been thinking it's a great place to organize a conference. Now I know that Barcelona is the best place to organize this conference.

I'm in the nice position to see how much the Spanish Language chapter of OSGeo grew up lately. Its support has been so important to create a competitive bid and to be accepted as organizing team for the FOSS4G conference in year 2010.
The challenge has been strong as other competitors were:
- Utrecht, Netherlands
- Denver, United States
- Beijing, China

All bids were challenging but at the end OSGeo's Conference Committee and OSGeo's Board of Directors confirmed Barcelona as Arnulf Christl, president of OSGeo, definitively commented [1].

Now I'm very excited to organized this event joint with a special crew composed by:
- Jordi Guimet
- Irene Compte
- Lluís Vicens
- Cárol Puig

This is the conference web site:
- http://2010.foss4g.org

2010 will be a key year for Europe and the '''Inspire Initiative''' and FOSS4G will be the best place to show the "Free Software way" to make an SDI work. Who's intended to deal with this challenge can not miss this event.

Barcelona will be the right place to join all the tribes from Europe and North America that are mostly developing the precious code we are sharing. As a developer I'm excited to meet all IRC buddies in the place I live. OSGeo community is wide, in Barcelona there's plenty of room for all of us.

An official press release will come soon.

stay tuned for other news about FOSS4G in Barcelona
Lorenzo

[1] http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/board/2008-December/002828.html