[Talk-in] OpenStreetMap workshops

[Kenneth Gonsalves]

On Thursday 01 Oct 2009 5:15:53 pm Kiran Jonnalagadda wrote:
> I just applied to NLnet (http://nlnet.nl/) for funding for a round of
> OpenStreetMap workshops in Feb 2010, in the line of the Feb 2008 workshops.
> We will hear back in four weeks on whether we're getting the grant.
>
> I've made a wiki page for updates (nothing there yet):
> http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/WikiProject_India/Workshops/2010
>
> Here's the proposal I sent NLnet: http://bit.ly/3iyC4i
> And here's the budget: http://bit.ly/jza3l
>
> Due to the rather short notice -- I was referred to NLnet less than a week
> ago and their funding deadline was today -- I was unable to consult this
> list for advice, but did speak to Pradeep, Schuyler and Mikel.
>
> Pradeep hopes we'll be able to host an Indian edition of State of the Map,
> so I mentioned that in the post-workshops roadmap.

I am sorry to say that my reaction to this totally negative. Why should we be 
dependent on foreign funds to conduct workshops? Surely we can stand on our 
own feet? We are just off from a highly successful python conference which we 
did *all* on our own. This whole proposal makes my skin crawl. Perhaps it was 
necessary in the beginning - but now we have a good community going - and the 
community will not grow if it is dependent on foreign funds. It will grow by 
patiently recruiting grass root mappers - which is a dull and uninspiring job, 
maybe. Let us stand on our own feet. Let SOTMI take place when we have enough 
resources to conduct it. And let the local chapter also get formed when we 
have enough enthu to do it. The very idea of sending a budget of so many euros 
for SOTMI to nl makes me want to puke. And it is not only pradeep who hopes 
that we can host SOTMI, I also do, and so do others. It didn't happen on the 
first attempt, nor on the second attempt - but it will happen, hopefully 
without submitting a budget to someone somewhere.

-- 
regards
Kenneth Gonsalves
Senior Project Officer
NRC-FOSS
http://nrcfosshelpline.in/web/