Reflections from FOSS4G 2023: Harnessing the Power of Geospatial Technology
We joined the ranks of open source geospatial leaders from around the world at the FOSS4G 2023 Prizren, Kosovo, representing Gispo Ltd and participating in the always enriching conversations on open source geospatial software projects. We saw amazing and innovative talks and keynotes and loved to see how the community is always interested in developing their tools and sharing their work!
Now that a few weeks have gone by and we have had the time to reflect everything we experienced and learned we can look back at the astonishing week we had in Kosovo! Check out what we were thinking before leaving to the conference from here.
Elisa and Ville were first-timers in the conference and were amazed how welcoming and inspiring everything and everyone was! The community spirit did a lasting impression on all of us. There were hundreds of speakers from all around the world, with topics ranging from state of software to education and specific use cases. We got to learn about the newest updates in QGIS from Marco Bernasocchi and hear about how to use specific algorithms and workflows to deal with problems in hydrology, education, mapping and (almost) everything in between! If you are interested in seeing all the presentations in the conference, click here.
Our team provided four General Track presentations and a workshop, each highlighting a distinct aspect to using open source geospatial technologies. Ville presented an initiative in Finland that used QGIS to transition from custom data models to a national data model for zoning and municipal plans. Elisa discussed the expanding use of open source geospatial software in Finnish government agencies, as well as the resulting demand for tailored training programs. Timo shared suggestions on how to use Oskari to create mobile-friendly maps, while Santtu shared advice and insights on managing enterprise GIS workflows with QGIS and PostGIS. If some of these peak your interest, please check out the presentations from the hyperlinks. We would also all be glad to talk more about these subjects!
QGIS: Transitioning from a Tool to a Comprehensive Platform
The undeniable rise of QGIS – not only as a tool, but as a comprehensive platform affecting the geospatial sector – was one of the important takeaways from FOSS4G 2023. It’s no news that QGIS has come a long way and has been around for a long time, but its adaptability and breadth of applications were a common theme throughout the presentations, emphasizing QGIS’s evolution from a simple desktop program to a platform that serves several domains. The progress of QGIS was highlighted at a keynote presentation “The Importance of Seeding” by Marco Bernasocchi, the chair of the QGIS Board and Project Steering Group. Bernasocchi’s involvement with QGIS started 12 years ago, when “he planted his seed” in the community. His inspirational story highlighted the incredible journey of QGIS throughout the years.
Evolving Trends in Data Formats and Open Source Projects
The FOSS4G 2023 Conference went deeply into the worlds of low-level data formats and data standards, providing a window into the geospatial technology sector’s core foundation. For instance, cloud native data formats became a hot topic of conversation. These formats enable more effective storage, retrieval, and on-the-fly processing, transforming how we handle and manipulate geographic data. This transition to cloud-based data management not only demonstrates the speed with which the open source geospatial software community has embraced new technologies, but it also highlights the rising significance of cloud computing in managing the scale required to handle the enormous volumes of data.
Then what is the take home message from this conference?
We got to meet amazing contributors and had deep talks about different software and how to use them in different cases. We all learned something new and I for one am trying to implement all the new ideas in my own work one by one. We got some interesting new acquaintances and hopefully we can grow out collaborations in the future.
And all this took place in a beautiful landscape!
We hope to see you all in the next FOSS4G.
