[OSGeo-Discuss] Re: Will there be an OSGeo Desktop
shootout atFOSS4G 2010?
Agustin Diez Castillo
Agustin.Diez at uv.es
Sun Dec 20 17:38:40 EST 2009
Simon,
I agree 99% with you, but why you left Mac out of the tests. AFAICT Grass, Qgis, Udig, OpenJump, OrbisGis, geoserver,
mapserver and somehow gvSIG work on Mac.
Agustin
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> I agree with Stefan.<br>
> <br>
> I have found comparison tables of little use as the compiler has to
> summarize what is probably quite complex routines. They rarely give a
> potential user like myself the complete picture.<br>
> <br>
> My view has been that the only way to evaluate the usefulness of a
> program is to use it on actual data trying to do actual things.<br>
> <br>
> I have tried multiple OS GIS packages and they all do different things
> in different ways. Some useful some novel (to me).<br>
> <br>
> What really counts is if you can use one program to complete your
> normal workflow without needing to use other packages.<br>
> <br>
> I am not saying that someone should not use multiple packages during
> their normal work week only that you should be able to do your normal
> work without having to transfer data (and half the time actually
> convert data) between various packages to get what you need done.<br>
> <br>
> So from my point of view projects should not look at other projects,
> developers should not list functionality of their program or any other
> combination. Users should provide standard workflow tasks -- repetitive
> tasks sequences they complete regularly. Then be asked to complete
> those tasks on each of the programs being tested. Then the users rate
> ease of setup, ease of use, suitability of output, support, etc. The
> actual list of user experience ratings can be knocked up by an overview
> committee. This committee could also vet the users who put their hand
> up to ensure a good spectrum of users and tasks, from different
> sections of society (academic, commercial, newbie) are all represented
> and no bias exists.<br>
> <br>
> If developers think this might be too harsh (as users may not fully
> understand what is going on or how the program works), maybe a middle
> ground would be that the developers submit a solution to these workflow
> processes. The users follow these instructions and evaluate the
> outcome. This avoids users baulking at some quite eccentric GUI
> interfaces or program setup (solution must provide clear setup
> instructions for Windows and Linux). These solutions are tried and
> reviewed by the user. The workflows, results, comments and developer
> solutions can be collated onto one site (the OSGeo site seems
> appropriate) as a valuable resource for developers and user alike.<br>
> <div class="moz-signature">
> <p>Cheers Simon</p>
> <p style="margin-left: 36pt;">
> Simon Cropper <br>
> Botanicus Australia Pty Ltd<br>
> PO Box 160, Sunshine, Victoria 3020.<br>
> P: 9311 5822. M: 041 830 3437.<br>
> <a href="mailto:scropper at botanicusaustralia.com.au">mailto:
> scropper at botanicusaustralia.com.au</a> <br>
> <a href="http://www.botanicusaustralia.com.au">web:
> www.botanicusaustralia.com.au</a> <br>
> </p>
> </div>
> <br>
> <br>
> Stefan Steiniger wrote:
> <blockquote cite="mid:4B2E96F3.9090301 at geo.uzh.ch" type="cite">Hei all,
> <br>
> <br>
> thanks for Cameron on keeping me in the loop, and to Markus for
> <br>
> remembering :) I am now subscribed to this list.
> <br>
> <br>
> I think Pauls idea sounds interesting - because this whole comparison
> <br>
> thing is
> <br>
> a) quite cumbersome when we have 10 desktop GIS (+ X), and
> <br>
> b) neither really worth because desktop GIS are used for a multitude of
> <br>
> tasks, while web map Servers or databases aren't that much - right?
> <br>
> <br>
> So as Paul is quoted on the osgeo wiki: one needs to set up use cases
> <br>
> first (just wrote that today in a new article too, which contains a
> <br>
> section on selecting free GIS software). And I also discovered that
> just
> <br>
> most of the projects have a different focus during my evaluation. Which
> <br>
> of course does not mean that such thing should not be presented - but
> it
> <br>
> must be focussed in some way or the other to have a benefit. And as a
> <br>
> side note, I am not sure if measuring processing times makes sense
> <br>
> either, as GIS analysis feature sets are so different.
> <br>
> <br>
> However, I am in for testing with OpenJUMP.
> <br>
> <br>
> Two more notes:
> <br>
> - my comparison tables are now already 2 years old now (from 2007),
> i.e.
> <br>
> need some update (but the last pub in Ecological Informatics took into
> <br>
> account newer developments too, but is superficial and focused towards
> <br>
> the "average" GIS users).
> <br>
> - I gave a talk about this at OGRS:
> <br>
> <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.ogrs2009.org/doku.php?id=keynotes">http://www.ogrs2009org/doku.php?id=keynotes</a>
> <br>
> pdf can be downloaded from there.
> <br>
> <br>
> cheers from Germany right now (Xmas)
> <br>
> stefan
> <br>
> <br>
> PS: I know also of this comparison by T. Hengl et al. on Grass vs. SAGA
> <br>
> for Geomorphologic Analysis
> <br>
> <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.igc.usp.br/pessoais/guano/downloads/Hengl_etal_2009_gmorph.pdf">http://www.igc.usp.br/pessoais/guano/downloads/Hengl_etal_2009_gmorph.pdf</a>
> <br>
> <br>
> <br>
> Paul Ramsey schrieb:
> <br>
> <blockquote type="cite">Interested in a different approach that is
> lower impact, but still
> <br>
> interesting and entertaining? Have developers review a "competing"
> <br>
> project and then present their findings, in the form of "What I love
> <br>
> about ___, what I hate about____".
> <br>
> <br>
> Jody Garnett presents "What I love about QGIS, what I hate about QGIS."
> <br>
> Jorge Sanz presents "What I love about uDig, what I hate about uDig."
> <br>
> Tim Sutton presents "What I love about gvSIG, what I hate about gvSIG."
> <br>
> <br>
> Not only do you get an unvarnished view, but you can have shorter
> <br>
> presentations with a discussion segment at the end of each one.
> <br>
> <br>
> Works for almost any application category too.
> <br>
> <br>
> </blockquote>
> <br>
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> <br>
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