[Osmf-talk] seeking feedback on needs summary

[SteveC]

On Mar 21, 2010, at 1:30 PM, Frederik Ramm wrote:

> Mikel,
> 
>    the document seems largely ok to me. I have two remarks:
> 
> 1.
> 
>> Many companies have been set up to do this such as CloudMade, Geofabrik and ITO World. 
> 
> I think it is not correct to say that ITO has been set up to monetise 
> OSM; they have been in business much longer I believe (but Peter will 
> surely comment).
> 
> 2.
> 
>> Much of OSM's community comes from the open source and other technical 
>> communities. Non-techies often do climb the learning curve, but 
>> contribution to OSM certainly does remain beyond the reach of many. We 
>> have great need to invest in the user experience of OSM. Our 
>> documentation and training materials need work to be accessible in new 
>> communities. Efforts to introduce the OpenStreetMap approach into 
>> government may need considerable investment.
> 
> I doubt that OSM needs active "market development".
> 
> I am known for insisting that I think our organic growth is sufficient. 
> What you write here sounds partially like it was thought out by a 
> marketing guy in a commercial environment: "We need to sell more units 
> of our product. Whom could we sell to, let's make a list and then plan 
> how to crack open these markets..."
> 
> It is my impression that OSM grows by itself, and slowly and healthily 
> (and often from the inside) cracks open these markets. Academia and 
> government discover OSM for themselves even without our printing a 
> colour leaflet and our sales rep team hosting OSM events on campus. 
> Individuals in non-technical environments discover OSM and "translate" 
> it for their non-technical peers. It is happening even without a master 
> plan.
> 
> I know that others, among them Steve Coast, are of the opinion that OSM 
> growth is something that we (the OSMF et al.) have to actively pursue 
> (because otherwise it will not happen, or not happen fast enough).

It might help to know that I wrote half the document :-)

I think you're going a bit far in the characterisation with talk about sales reps and stuff. But the fundamental thing is that Germany has explosive growth in OSM and... Colorado doesn't. It's still something we don't understand well. We know people drive here more and drink less, and stammtisch work in Germany... but we have to keep trying stuff to figure out what works in different places.

> In my eyes this is not a discussion that we have had in the Foundation, 
> but I think it is very important because it has the potential of 
> defining a large part of the character of our work (and where our funds go).
> 
> Has the board among themselves discussed this and reached a conclusion, 
> or is everyone simply accepting the notion without much thought?
> 
> Bye
> Frederik
> 
> -- 
> Frederik Ramm  ##  eMail frederik at remote.org  ##  N49°00'09" E008°23'33"
> 
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Yours &c.

Steve