<div class="gmail_quote"><div>Hi Stephen, <br></div><div><br>It's good to see you taking an interest in FOSS4G! Welcome aboard. <br><br>You'll find that it will nicely complement your proprietary experience as both need to coexist.<br>
<br><br>Out of interest and to help us with our marketing, what has attracted you to invest the time into finding out more about FOSS4G and OSGeo?<br><br><br>Bruce Bannerman<br><br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
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> -----Original Message-----<br>
> From: <a href="mailto:foss4g2009-bounces@lists.osgeo.org">foss4g2009-bounces@lists.osgeo.org</a><br>
> [mailto:<a href="mailto:foss4g2009-bounces@lists.osgeo.org">foss4g2009-bounces@lists.osgeo.org</a>] On Behalf Of Stephen Lead<br>
> Sent: Friday, 8 May 2009 10:45 AM<br>
> To: Tyler Mitchell (OSGeo)<br>
> Cc: foss4g2009 PUBLIC<br>
> Subject: Re: [Foss4g2009] "newbie" section on FOSS4G website?<br>
><br>
> Hi Tyler,<br>
><br>
> I found that even OSGeo.org was a bit confusing - look at it<br>
> from the perspective of someone who's never used a free GIS<br>
> package. Where do you start?<br>
><br>
> The home page has extracts of blog posts, which don't mean<br>
> much if you don't know the programs they're talking about.<br>
> The FAQ talks mostly about the foundation itself, rather than<br>
> the software available.<br>
><br>
> It would be great if OSGeo and/or the FOSS4G site had a<br>
> "getting started" section which helped new users to get started.<br>
><br>
> eg, if you need to perform raster processing on Windows, read<br>
> this. To do vector processing on Linux, read this. Etc.<br>
><br>
> If the FOSS4G conference is aimed at people who already know<br>
> a lot about FOSS software, my comment isn't applicable. But<br>
> if it is to be aimed at newbie users too, I think it needs a<br>
> brief hand-holding section.<br>
><br>
> Cheers,<br>
> Steve<br>
><br>
><br>
> 2009/5/8 Tyler Mitchell (OSGeo) <<a href="mailto:tmitchell@osgeo.org">tmitchell@osgeo.org</a>><br>
><br>
><br>
> Perhaps just a pointed back to OSGeo.org would be enough?<br>
><br>
> On 7-May-09, at 5:33 PM, Doug White wrote:<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> Steve,<br>
><br>
> I think it's a good idea. I would say all the<br>
> software on the LiveDVD is available online in one way or<br>
> other. There are also websites devoted to this, try a search<br>
> on sourceforge for GIS or <a href="http://opensourcegis.org" target="_blank">opensourcegis.org</a>, there will be<br>
> many others sites.<br>
><br>
><br>
> <a href="http://sourceforge.net/search/?type_of_search=soft&words=GIS" target="_blank">http://sourceforge.net/search/?type_of_search=soft&words=GIS</a><br>
> <a href="http://opensourcegis.org/" target="_blank">http://opensourcegis.org/</a><br>
><br>
> You can also download LiveDVD images like<br>
> Arramagong LiveDVD and use them now.<br>
><br>
> <a href="http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Live_GIS_Disc#Available_Live_Discs" target="_blank">http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Live_GIS_Disc#Available_Live_Discs</a><br>
><br>
> Any getting started section should probably<br>
> include an outline of getting packages using apt-get or yum<br>
> for the uninitiated and summary of building from source too.<br>
><br>
> Doug.<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> Stephen Lead wrote:<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> I'm an experienced GIS user, but I've<br>
> only ever used commercial GIS software. I'm intrigued to<br>
> learn more about free and open source GIS software but I<br>
> don't really know where to start.<br>
><br>
> I reckon most of my GIS friends would<br>
> be in the same position as me. Do you think it's worthwhile<br>
> putting a "getting started" section on the FOSS4G website<br>
> letting us know where to start?<br>
><br>
> Eg the conference DVD will include some<br>
> FOSS GIS software. Is any of it available online already, and<br>
> if so where can we download it and start playing with it<br>
> before the conference? That way we would have a better idea<br>
> of which sessions to attend, and would have a more compelling<br>
> reason to attend in the first place.<br>
><br>
> What do you think?<br>
><br>
> Cheers,<br>
> Steve<br>
><br>
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><br>
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><br>
> </blockquote></div><br>