[Osmf-talk] Hostile takeover of the OpenStreetMap Foundation?

[Simon Poole]

Am 22.11.2022 um 15:49 schrieb Allan Mustard:
> Data do not support the contention that the US has dominated OSM. 

I was specifically referring to representation in the OSMF. Historically 
most contributors to OSM have been based in Europe, with something 
around 10% in the US [1], current daily numbers would indicate again 
roughly 10% based in the US and roughly 10% in Germany [2].

> The largest contingent in the consistently active OSM community is 
> European, with Germany the largest contributor of community members by 
> far.[1]  Until two years ago all local chapters were in Europe.[2] The 
> OSMF Board currently has one US citizen member (Mikel Maron), one 
> Filipino, one Irish, one Luxembourg, one French, and two German 
> members (i.e., 5 out of 7 board members are European).[3]  The 
> previous board had two US citizens (Mikel plus me), one Filipino, and 
> four European  members.[4][5]
>
For a good 11 (if not 12) years of the 15 years of its existence the 
OSMF has had an US citizen or US resident as its chairperson and 
typically there has always been at least one other US citizen as a 
director (the exception being 2012). [3]

Germans have also been well represented with at least one German 
national always being present (though currently we have a peak).

I have no problems with either statistic, given the practical, cultural 
and economic issues that limit the pool of viable candidates given the 
current modus operandi as mostly executive board.

> During my two years on the board I perceived no efforts on the part of 
> U.S. corporate members or donors to exert influence on the board, 
> aside from periodic expressions of concern about the stability of the 
> platform (which concern was shared broadly across the entire 
> community).[6][7]
>
My comments were made as response to the implicit claim that the US 
community is not getting its fair share in OSMF governance because the 
Germans are out to get them, which, see above, is obviously hilariously 
untrue.

Simon

[1] 
https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/w/images/f/fa/Continental_distribution_2016.png
[2] https://osmstats.neis-one.org/?item=countries
[3] https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/OSMF_board_members_by_year


> cheers,
> apm
>
> [1] 
> https://wiki.osmfoundation.org/wiki/File:2021_OSMF_survey_country_respondents.ods
> [2] 
> https://wiki.osmfoundation.org/wiki/Annual_General_Meetings/2020/Chairperson%E2%80%99s_report
> [3] https://wiki.osmfoundation.org/wiki/Officers_%26_Board
> [4] 
> https://wiki.osmfoundation.org/wiki/Annual_General_Meetings/2019/Election_to_Board
> [5] 
> https://wiki.osmfoundation.org/wiki/Annual_General_Meetings/2020/Election_to_Board
> [6] https://www.openstreetmap.org/user/Stereo/diary/395903
> [7] 
> https://wiki.osmfoundation.org/w/images/2/27/2021_survey_slides.pdf, 
> pages 8-10
>
> On 11/22/2022 5:00 AM, Simon Poole wrote:
>> Rolands mail was clearly written with the concern that we would get 
>> tactical last minute nominations as we had last year and he was 
>> warning against that leading to a scenario in which candidates that 
>> employed such tactics could essentially be elected by default if 
>> there were not enough alternative nominations.
>>
>> He didn't refer to the nationality of the candidates or of the 
>> companies employing them at all, just to the fact that they had 
>> previously tried above mentioned tactic.
>>
>> More general remark: the OSMF has over the years always had 
>> significant US influence if not dominance, way more than would be 
>> warranted by representation on any kind of metric except for money. 
>> Moaning about being treated badly is in that context at best 
>> disingenuous, if not deliberately misleading.
>>
>> Simon
>>
>> PS: it is well known that I don't believe it is good form for board 
>> members to be involved in the specifics of election candidates and 
>> this shows why.
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> osmf-talk mailing list
>> osmf-talk at openstreetmap.org
>> https://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/osmf-talk
>
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