[Gvsig_english] gvSIG and gvSIG-CE, when will someone clarify the situation?

[Simon Cropper]

On 30/07/12 02:57, José Antonio Canalejo Alonso wrote:
> Dear all,
> we'd like to add a link to the GIS Starter Package [1] in the gvSIG's
> quickstart [2]. We don't need to modify the quickstart (I think it is a
> very good one) but we think it's a good set of tools to being used as
> gvSIG's quickstart and it can be also mentioned on the OSGeo Live .
> The GIS Starter Package provides all information essential to introduce
> the gvSIG software using video tutorials, practical demo-projects, FAQ
> and other tools.
> This package has been donwloaded 464 times in more than 50 countries [3].
> Kind regards!
> José
>
>
> [1] http://csgis.de/joomla/index.php/gis-starter-package
> [2] http://live.osgeo.org/en/quickstart/gvsig_quickstart.html
> [3] http://sourceforge.net/projects/gvsigce/files/startercd.zip/stats/map?dates=2011-07-01+to+2012-07-29
> --
> José Canalejo
> www.csgis.de
> @CSGIS_de
>
> _______________________________________________
> Gvsig_internacional mailing list
> Gvsig_internacional at listserv.gva.es

Hello All,

I know I will not be popular for bringing this up *again* but I am 
confused. gvSIG-CE was created a while back now and despite retaining 
the name of its parent is a fork of the gvSIG project.

Yes, a fork! Lead by a distinct group of developers based on an earlier 
version of gvSIG, on a distinct development path.

Yet no one seems to want to mention this. The main gvSIG project team 
appear to be happy to let a distinct group of people push a product 
under the same banner as their own despite the confusion that this causes.

The gvSIG-CE developers also appear to be reluctant to stand on their 
own feet. Hey, they have their own homepage page, wiki, mail list, 
etcetera. Why not just come out and announce their departure from the 
parent and name their new product something else.

Why do I care?

First, in countries starting to adopt open source GIS technology it is 
unclear what gvSIG-CE is? Is gvSIG-CE an endorsed project? The 
developers hang out on the gvSIG mail list... it has the same name... 
They propose assimilation of their training material and links to their 
website into the gvSIG projects LiveDVD material.

This leads to the second reason I care. I like gvSIG and I also like 
what Benjamin, Victor, Luca, José, Fernando and others have done. The 
resulting progeny is stable and very useful.

But, either gvSIG-CE is part of the gvSIG project and is recognized as 
an official project (an English derivation or something) or it is not. 
At present, the latter appears to be true... so, it is inappropriate and 
confusing to push training material under the gvSIG banner that actually 
is leading people to a fork of the project.

-- 
Cheers Simon

    Simon Cropper - Open Content Creator

    Free and Open Source Software Workflow Guides
    ------------------------------------------------------------
    Introduction               http://www.fossworkflowguides.com
    GIS Packages           http://www.fossworkflowguides.com/gis
    bash / Python    http://www.fossworkflowguides.com/scripting