Grazie Mauro,
la comunicazione, quasi una chiamata alle armi, è molto interessante e ho cercato almeno un po’ di approndirla a partire dal sito della AAG. La richiesta che viene da MAPPS di estendere il concetto di attività di “surveying e mapping” è davvero pesante e quasi sibillina nel modo in cui è legalmente posta. Comprensibili in prima battuta le ansie di AAG e dei suoi “partner” (GITA ed altri) per quanto concerne le ripercussioni sulla GIS community americana (soprattutto sulla partecipazione a concorsi/contratti pubblici). Dico “in prima battuta” perché mi piacerebbe approfondire il tutto con qualche parere di chi negli US ci lavora facendo attivamente parte della GIS community, e dunque potrebbe fornirci un’istantanea di cosa sta realmente accadendo e di come è percepito.
Per questi motivi rispondo in copia anche alle liste di discussione di FreeGIS-Italia e GFOSS, dove credo che si possano trovare altri interessati alla discussione (ad es. Cristiano Giovando, per i motivi di cui sopra visto che ora lavora a San Diego).
Un saluto,
M
2007/3/5, Mauro Salvemini <mauro.salvemini@uniroma1.it>:
per vs conoscenza e per riflettere come le sitauzioni non sono mai sempre semplici allego una notizia AMERICANA . In buona sostanza una associazione di topografi rivendica presso il governo americano la esclusiva per rilevare e trattare le informazioni geografiche !!!
Tutte le associazioni si mobilitano contro !
AMFM che e’ affiliata GITA fara ’ qualcosa anche essa !
Salute,
Mauro S.
Dear Geospatial Industry Colleagues:
You have probably heard by now about the impending lawsuit by MAPPS against the U.S Government, but you may not be fully aware of all the related activity that has taken place in the last month or two - or how this may affect you personally.
About two weeks ago, AAG Executive Director Doug Richardson issued an appeal for help in responding to what many of us view as “a serious threat to the GIS industry.” AAG has responded with a “friend of the court” brief that GITA has agreed to support. In addition to GITA, URISA, UCGIS, and GISCI are also part of this movement.
AAG’s attorneys have prepared a legal brief responding to MAPPS’ claims and summarizing what is at stake for the mapping and GIS community. The brief states, in part, “The case of MAPPS v. United States ( E.D. Va. No. 1:06cv378), currently pending in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, could have dramatic consequences for the entire mapping community, including the GIS industry. Simply put, an adverse outcome would effectively exclude everyone but licensed architects, engineers, and surveyors from federal government contracts for ‘mapping’ services of every sort and description, not just those mapping services traditionally provided by surveyors.”
If you have not yet read this brief, I URGE YOU TO DO SO IMMEDIATELY!
The brief, as well as other documents related to this case, are on the AAG website: http://www.aag.org/help/links.html. The brief is the first link on the page.Doug Richardson’s appeal also included the following: “If you as an individual, a company, or an association–in consultation with your attorneys–believe that you could be negatively affected by the MAPPS litigation, or are merely outraged at the nature of the Claims made by MAPPS, et.al., as so many others are, please consider supporting our legal and educational efforts to oppose this litigation and related activities, with a donation to the MAPPING AND GIS COMMUNITY DEFENSE FUND, at www.aag.org/help outbind://242/www.aag.org/help.”
GITA will be distributing this appeal as well as the brief to everyone attending our annual conference in San Antonio next week. An “Associations Panel Discussion” on Tuesday afternoon will address this topic, among other things. We will have a summary of the panel - to include streaming audio - on our website as soon as possible following the conference.
Please take some time to get up to speed on this complicated issue. It is in your vital interest to be informed!
Bob Samborski
Executive Director, GITA
GITA
14456 East Evans Avenue
Aurora, CO 80014
Tel: (303) 337-0513 Fax: (303) 303-337-1001
Visit our website at: http://www.gita.org < http://www.gita.org/>
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