I understand what you are saying, on the other spectrum my new ArcGIS 10 crashes on me everyday with an issue I am still yet to discover ( 4 months later unresolved)<br><br>"Leading the pack" meant not in stability but in functionality the software provide the user at no cost.<br>
<br>If you are on budget but want a software package that provides high end functionality then QGIS/Grass/Mapwindows is the answer ( there are others).<br><br>ArcView 9 nothing is free, you can possibly draw buffers, ArcView10 provides the user with an entire GEOPROCESSING tool (FREE at no cost) this is an attempt to stay in the market.<br>
<br>I use both Arc and QGIS everyday and I can honestly say OSS can provide a low budget projects with vital GIS capabilities, for example:<br><a href="http://malareo-gis.wikispaces.com/">http://malareo-gis.wikispaces.com/</a><br>
<br>Remember OSS is an <b>open sharing community</b>, if you find something difficult ask questions, if you find solutions post the solution back to the community. The strength in OSS doesnt ly in the programmer working till late on free software, it relies on a community to provide feedback and solutions.<br>
<br><br><br clear="all">Sarel Coetzer <br><br>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Mar 1, 2012 at 6:57 AM, Calle Hedberg <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:chedberg@telkomsa.net">chedberg@telkomsa.net</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="EN-ZA"><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Hi,<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">“OSS software is leading the proprietary pack” – well, that’s debatable, isn’t it? <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">I work for a global network (HISP) which has been developing FOSS software in the health sector for 14 years, and the user base has expanded from three health districts around Cape Town to now cover countries with around 1.8 bill people. But as to finding a reliable, reasonably powerful, and easy-to-use desktop FOSS GIS for “normal” users – well, let’s say it’s been a challenge. Web-based FOSS GIS is better, but still clearly limited in terms of functionality (we’ve ended up doing a lot of development ourselves to get something suitable).<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">MapWindow, QGIS, etc – we’ve been using/testing them extensively over many years, and they are still driving us up the wall with their OS incompatibilities, incomprehensible crashes, and poor documentation. So we are still using ArcView / ArcGIS for most of our own fundamental GIS work (map/shapefile production), even if we are limited by the number of donated licenses we have. ArcGIS don’t let you down when you are working through the night to prepare a series of maps for presentation to the minister in the morning, if you get my drift….<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Regards<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Calle Hedberg<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> <a href="mailto:africa-bounces@lists.osgeo.org" target="_blank">africa-bounces@lists.osgeo.org</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:africa-bounces@lists.osgeo.org" target="_blank">africa-bounces@lists.osgeo.org</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>S Coetzer<br>
<b>Sent:</b> 29 February 2012 04:09 PM<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:gavinjfleming@gmail.com" target="_blank">gavinjfleming@gmail.com</a>; Africa local chapter discussions<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [OSGeo Africa] Junior GIS Developer needed<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<div><div class="h5"><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt">Thanks Gavin<br><br>I remember those old docs (2007 - 2008). It will be nice to get current feedback of OSGEO mail "members" to see if they have promoted FOSS and to see what the current status in government is at the moment.<br>
<br>There has been a trend and shift in the GIS applications of late. Open source products are bringing out great functionality and has caused propitiatory software to release some functionality for free or lose clientele.<br>
<br>SQL server now has spatial extension (only couple years late)<br>ArcGIS 10 now has free analysis tools where you had to pay in the past (thanks to QGIS/Grass which had it for past 5 years)<br><br>It seems that OSS software is leading the propitiatory pack but yet organizations wants to pay license fees.<br>
<br>Just sharing my thoughts<br><br>Regards<br clear="all">Sarel Coetzer <br><br><br><u></u><u></u></p><div><p class="MsoNormal">On Wed, Feb 29, 2012 at 3:45 PM, Gavin <<a href="mailto:gavinjfleming@gmail.com" target="_blank">gavinjfleming@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<u></u><u></u></p>
<div><p class="MsoNormal">I'm also interested in Modiba's take, and of other SITA employees on this list.<br><br>Here are some background docs to FOSS and interoperability policy in SA:<br><br><a href="http://www.sita.co.za/FOSS/FOSS1.html" target="_blank">http://www.sita.co.za/FOSS/FOSS1.html</a><br>
<br><a href="http://gissa.org.za/special-interest-groups/open-source/foss-documents" target="_blank">http://gissa.org.za/special-interest-groups/open-source/foss-documents</a><br><br>I know from the SITA COO that she was hoping to have a FOSS GIS transition / rollout plan ready by the end of this financial year but that all the requirements were unlikely to be in place by then. So we should look forward to lots of SITA activity in this space in the coming year. <br>
<br>Gavin<u></u><u></u></p><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><br><br>On Wed, 2012-02-29 at 13:36 +0200, S Coetzer wrote:<br><br><u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt">Hi Modiba<br><br>Please provide us (OSGEO List users) with Sita's policy with regards to using FOSS products. Very curious on your take on this.<br>
<br><br><br><br>Sarel Coetzer <br><br><br><u></u><u></u></p><blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt"><p class="MsoNormal">On Wed, Feb 29, 2012 at 12:26 PM, Modiba Ramohlale <<a href="mailto:modiba.ramohlale@sita.co.za" target="_blank">modiba.ramohlale@sita.co.za</a>> wrote:<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I will have to agree with Greg. I have guided two 'good' programmers<br>who initially had no knowledge of GIS. It took them less than 3 months<br>to understand how ArcIMS was constructed as well as AXL et al.<br>
<br>-----Original Message-----<br>From: <a href="mailto:africa-bounces@lists.osgeo.org" target="_blank">africa-bounces@lists.osgeo.org</a><br>[mailto:<a href="mailto:africa-bounces@lists.osgeo.org" target="_blank">africa-bounces@lists.osgeo.org</a>] On Behalf Of Gregory Setei<br>
Sent: 29 February 2012 12:03 PM<br>To: <a href="mailto:jeffy_ditsela@yahoo.com" target="_blank">jeffy_ditsela@yahoo.com</a>; Africa local chapterdiscussions;<br><a href="mailto:tsakane.baloyi@dpw.gov.za" target="_blank">tsakane.baloyi@dpw.gov.za</a><br>
Subject: RE: [OSGeo Africa] Junior GIS Developer needed<br><br>Dear Jeffy,<br><br>I do have someone who is a Developer/ programmer, what he has no GIS<br>background at this stage but he is willing to learn. His credentials<br>
include -Javascript<br>-C#.<br>.Net<br>-SQL Server.<br><br>If you can provide training on the ArcGIS programme, he will not<br>disappoint you. His contact are <a href="tel:0739854916" target="_blank">0739854916</a>. His name is Grant Mandla<br>
Setei.<br><br>Regards,<br><br>Greg S<br><br>-----Original Message-----<br>From: <a href="mailto:africa-bounces@lists.osgeo.org" target="_blank">africa-bounces@lists.osgeo.org</a><br>[mailto:<a href="mailto:africa-bounces@lists.osgeo.org" target="_blank">africa-bounces@lists.osgeo.org</a>] On Behalf Of<br>
<a href="mailto:jeffy_ditsela@yahoo.com" target="_blank">jeffy_ditsela@yahoo.com</a><br>Sent: 28 February 2012 03:51 PM<br>To: <a href="mailto:africa@lists.osgeo.org" target="_blank">africa@lists.osgeo.org</a>; <a href="mailto:tsakane.baloyi@dpw.gov.za" target="_blank">tsakane.baloyi@dpw.gov.za</a><br>
Subject: [OSGeo Africa] Junior GIS Developer needed<br><br>Hi All,<br><br>I need a GIS Developer a.s.a.p to be based in Pretoria Head Office of<br>Department of Public Works.<br>-Knowleage of ESRI ArcGIS Suite 9.3.1 or above -ASP.net -Javascript<br>
-C#.Net -SQL Server or Oracle DB -Proficient in OOP, Design patterns,<br>best practices and be experience of SDLC.<br><br>Willing to learn new technologies, team player and innovative.<br><br>I am will to teach the potential candidate if she/he shortfall of the<br>
above requirements.<br><br>Preferable be South African with a valid ID and just graduated from a<br>reputable University but if Foreign Nationals,be ready with proper work<br>documentation.<br><br>Thanks and regards,<br><br>
Jeofrey Ditsela (<a href="http://www.tipp.co.za" target="_blank">www.tipp.co.za</a>)<br><br>Contact me @ <a href="mailto:jeffy_ditsela@yahoo.com" target="_blank">jeffy_ditsela@yahoo.com</a> or <a href="tel:083%20895%208997" target="_blank">083 895 8997</a> Sent from my<br>
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<br>.<br>_______________________________________________<br>Africa mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Africa@lists.osgeo.org" target="_blank">Africa@lists.osgeo.org</a><br><a href="http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/africa" target="_blank">http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/africa</a> <u></u><u></u></p>
</blockquote><blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt"><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><pre>_______________________________________________<u></u><u></u></pre><pre>Africa mailing list<u></u><u></u></pre>
<pre><a href="mailto:Africa@lists.osgeo.org" target="_blank">Africa@lists.osgeo.org</a><u></u><u></u></pre><pre><a href="http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/africa" target="_blank">http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/africa</a><u></u><u></u></pre>
</blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><u></u> <u></u></p></div></div><table style="width:100.0%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm">
<pre>-- <u></u><u></u></pre><pre>Gavin Fleming<u></u><u></u></pre><pre>t: <a href="tel:0218620670" target="_blank">0218620670</a><u></u><u></u></pre><pre>c: <a href="tel:0845965680" target="_blank">0845965680</a><u></u><u></u></pre>
<pre>f: <a href="tel:0866164820" target="_blank">0866164820</a><u></u><u></u></pre><pre>Paarl<u></u><u></u></pre><pre>South Africa<u></u><u></u></pre><pre>18°59'18.8"E 33°44'40.2"S<u></u><u></u></pre></td>
</tr></tbody></table></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><br>_______________________________________________<br>Africa mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Africa@lists.osgeo.org" target="_blank">Africa@lists.osgeo.org</a><br>
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<br></blockquote></div><br>