\title{1Spatial}
\author{Graham Stickler}
\maketitle

The Open Source Geospatial Foundation has proved to be one of those organisations that is here to stay and is adding value by helping to promote and deliver open source solutions. If you think back 10 to 12 years and look what the Open Geospatial Consortium has achieved and how it has developed since then, I imagine (and hope) OSGeo will have a similar impact and reach in the geospatial community. \href{http://www.1spatial.com}{1Spatial} is proud to be associated with OSGeo since its inception and to be once more supporting OSGeo as a Sponsor in 2008. 


1Spatial also participated in the annual worldwide Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial conference (FOSS4G) held in Victoria, Canada, in September 2007, with Chris Tagg, our Radius Studio Product Manager, giving a presentation entitled ``\textit{Opening Spatial Databases for Data Quality Certification}''. His presentation discussed the importance of spatial data quality and how, by embracing Open Source technologies, the ability to assess and transform spatial data to ensure it is fit for purpose is possible, regardless of where your spatial datasets are held and the format they are in. 


The presentation focussed specifically on the concept of using the Feature Data Object (FDO) open source Application Programming Interface (API) for manipulating, defining, and analysing geospatial information, regardless of where it is stored. Using FDO as a data access bridge we have been able to open up business opportunities previously unavailable to us. Working with the OSGeo community has also helped us to provide a cost-effective and robust solution using open source experts and technologies. 
