Jason and I were in Portland, OR last week for the annual FOSS4G conference. FOSS4G (Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial) is the largest global gathering of developers, users, decision-makers and observers focused on open source geospatial software.
General observations of FOSS4G 2014
- FOSS4G has been held all over the world and draws attendees from over 40 countries. It is truly an international conference.
- Portland was a phenomenal host city and the conference organizers deserve a ton of credit for an incredibly successful event.
- Conference venues and meals were impressive. From the Oregon Convention Center, which hosted the sessions, to the Welcome Reception at the Natural Capital Center and the Gala Reception at the World Forestry Center, the venues did not disappoint and the food & drink were exceptional, even by Portland standards.
Conference buzz
- CARTO topped the buzz list with the launch of their Developer Program and Partner Network, conveniently coinciding with $8 million in new funding to advance their mission. As a CARTO business partner, this is great news for Fulcrum and our users. We are actively working on tighter product integration, so stay tuned for more on information regarding this partnership.
- Mapbox announced the release of Mapbox Studio on Wednesday. Mapbox Studio is the successor of TileMill, so we are closely following this project with regards to MBTiles and building offline layers for Fulcrum.
- ESRI’s Portland & DC R&D teams were out and about, touting some popular open source initiatives, such as the esri-leaflet plugin. The major ESRI buzz focused on their recent breakup with longtime business partner Applied Geographics (AppGeo), purportedly over AppGeo’s use of “competing products.”
- Sessions on UAV and drone technology attracted significant interest. Surprisingly, amateur hobbyists and hackers led most discussions, showcasing impressive innovations while navigating FAA regulatory uncertainties. Once regulations for commercial drone use are finalized, the market for this technology will expand rapidly. Those already experimenting with drone hardware, software, and workflows will have a clear advantage over those waiting for policymakers to catch up.
Key takeaways from FOSS4G 2014
Star power
FOSS4G continues to attract some of the most influential folks in the geospatial industry, including Frank Warmerdam, Vladimir Agafonkin and Paul Ramsey. Attendees are drawn to their talks and are rarely disappointed.
Networking and social events
While the general sessions were interesting, the primary goal of any major conference is networking opportunities. FOSS4G allows plenty of people who have established online relationships, through Twitter or GitHub, to finally meet in person. This is a good opportunity to finally “buy that guy a beer” or personally thank someone for all the time they’ve contributed building a product you may well be using daily.
Notable Quotes
“Born as a protest against bloat, clutter, and complexity” – @mourner on the birth of Leaflet “The future of geo isn’t a single app with hundreds of buttons. The future of geo is hundreds apps with a single button.” – @carto on The CARTO Marketplace
Fulcrum at FOSS4G 2014
We met with several business partners, current users, and potential clients while showcasing many of Fulcrum’s latest features. “Big data” remains a popular topic, but analysis, visualizations, and maps are only as accurate as the data behind them.
Remotely sensed global raster datasets are impressive, but the demand for precise, structured field data continues to grow. Attending events like FOSS4G 2014 sparks creativity, strengthens connections with clients and colleagues, and reinforces our commitment to innovation.
Stay tuned for exciting new initiatives we’ll be announcing in the coming weeks.