[Openstreetmap] no dots

[Lars Aronsson]

SteveC wrote:

> Quick reality check: OSM has 1200 users, approximately one 
> programmer, approximately no money and approximately one 
> computer lent by free-map.org.uk.
> 
> Under these circumstances I think we're doing better than could 
> be expected, but as we all know there is a long way to go and we 
> can do a lot better. Most of our problems stem from our massive 
> increase in users which is really a *good* thing.
> 
> As I said I'm getting hosting and an organisation together but 
> it takes time, please be patient, I'll have news soon.

Steve, at age 39 and being a coordinator and sole programmer of 
several Internet projects in the last 15 years, I think I have a 
pretty good grasp on reality.  I think you have way too much on 
your own to-do list, and you should encourage more people to get 
involved instead of trying to cover everything on your own.  Me 
and Petter would be glad to help with the organization, which is a 
thing you cannot successfully run on your own, anyway.

I have no experience from founding and running orgazations in 
Britain, but the way we do it in Sweden, Norway, and Germany, we 
can set up bylaws, appoint a preliminary board and hold a founding 
meeting in a week's time.  After this you can open bank accounts 
and receive donations and membership fees.  For Germany, if you 
want to become an "e.V." registered association, it takes slightly 
more time.  Tax-exemption could take even longer, but we don't 
have that option in Sweden.  I'm starting to think that Isle of 
Wight could be a good time for a founding meeting.  But there 
still is no date set for this excursion.  Another idea could be a 
get-together around CeBIT in Hanover in March.

I would suggest you as chief technologist and Tom Carden as 
chairman.  Petter could be treasurer and I could volunteer as 
secretary, if there are no other suggestions.  I would suggest an 
annual membership fee of 50 UKP = 75 EUR = 550 DKK = 600 NOK
= 700 SEK.  You would have 20-30 members in a flick, and enough 
fees to purchase the first server of OSM's own.

That is a kind of organization that I could send donations to and 
recruit more members to. But right now I have no idea what kind 
you are coming up with or "working on".  So I'm held in suspense, 
trying to keep my expectations as low as I can, never to be 
disappointed.

As Petter said, piggy-backing on an existing organization could 
cut the overhead even further.



-- 
  Lars Aronsson (lars at aronsson.se)
  Aronsson Datateknik - http://aronsson.se