No need to have a formal association, when you already have a community

Here's an excelent post by Camron on the aust-nz osgeo mailing list.
It doesn't make sence when you don't need to deal with any funding...
the organization it's self requires paperwork,
but if it's all volunteers, and everyone just helps eachother, it's not needed.
Especially when the 'goto' is a mailing list. .. and the collective
members of the mailing list answer questions.

With Google+ it's easy, 'cause it's all with circles, and many can be
admins of pages.

It's amazing how much money is wasted, when it's not even needed.

cheers,
sam

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Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:00:17 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Aust-NZ Digest, Vol 53, Issue 9
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Today's Topics:

1. What is the point in formalising OSGeo Local Chapters?
(Cameron Shorter)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:30:55 +1100
From: Cameron Shorter
Subject: [Aust-NZ] What is the point in formalising OSGeo Local
Chapters?
To: OSGeo Discussions
Cc: "aust-nz@lists.osgeo.org"
Message-ID:
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

OSGeo Discuss,

In Australia/New Zealand we have been discussing whether we should
legally "formalise" the Aust-NZ OSGeo chapter, and come to the
conclusion that we gain little, and loose a lot by becoming legal. Email
discussion here:
http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/aust-nz/2012-January/thread.html

Highlights:

On 3/01/2012 1:12 PM, Jody Garnett wrote:
> Where did we get to on this Aust-NZ local chapter stuff? As I recall
> we still need to register as a non profit; have a meeting with
> minuets, and set up a back account.
On 5/01/2012 11:06 AM, Jody Garnett wrote:
> The benefit would be an OSGeo local chapter; right now we have not
> "formed" as I understand it and are still listed as under construction
> on the OSGeo wiki.
On 6/01/2012 6:51 AM, Cameron Shorter wrote:
> Right, so osgeo aust-nz would change from unofficial to official in
> the eyes of osgeo. I see very little benefit from that. I don't think
> we will attract any more osgeo converts from such a title. (If we need
> an official title, we can always call upon the greater OSGeo
> organisation).
>
> However, I do see a large drain on volunteer time. As soon as we
> require money to run, we need to worry about chasing people or
> organisations for membership fees, which is an unpleasant task which
> sucks up lots of valuable volunteer times.
On 6/01/2012 7:58 AM, mapbutcher wrote:
> In this modern age of 'meetups' do such chapters have a place? What
> does a chapter actually provide?
>
> The organic development of groups across the country in the past year
> has evidenced a growing interest and adoption of open source. It has
> not required a chapter to support this growth. There are adequate
> means of communication to support cross pollination between these
> groups IMO. We even managed to organize a [international foss4g]
> conference without a chapter if my memory serves me correctly
On 6/01/2012 8:49 AM, Bruce Bannerman wrote:
> I see greater benefit from a 'virtual' community, particularly
> considering the broad geographic region the we cover.
>
> We don't necessarily need an 'entity' as the 'go to' body for the
> Local Chapter. The mailing list and Wiki could perhaps suffice.
>
> As I see it we have a reasonably robust community as it is (if rather
> quiet at present).

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