Front Range Users of Geospatial Open Source

In March 2005 Donnie Marino (then at DigitalGlobe) hosted a meeting of local MapServer users in Longmont. A follow-up has been a long time coming. After consulting with Donnie and Brian Timoney, I created a new Google Group to pick up where we left off last year: the Front Range Users of Geospatial Open Source, or FRUGOS.

We're looking to promote the use of open source software in geospatial applications here on the Front Range of Colorado and build a lively regional support network. Brian is particularly interested in getting open source into the GIS curricula -- or at least into student hands -- of our local universities (Colorado, Colorado State, Northern Colorado, Denver University), an effort that I'll back one hundred percent. Check out his first post for more details. I'm interested in helping organizations find local and regional commercial support for MapServer et al, something that is often noted as a limiting factor for enterprise uptake. In my opinion, FRUGOS should definitely be about increasing business opportunities for open source users.

Please check it out if you'd like to contribute to our regional open source geospatial community.

Update: FRUGOS is starting to take off.

I was asked this morning by a couple OSGeo members what the relationship between FRUGOS and OSGeo is or will be. That's yet to be determined. There's no explicit relationship at present. I am personally ambivalent -- perhaps even leaning -0 -- about OSGeo (longtime readers know all about it), but would prefer to see FRUGOS go with the flow. If it works, why not? If it doesn't work, why bother?