[GRASS-user] About .mdb geo-data base file format... please some information about alternative file formats!

[Frank Warmerdam]

Dylan Beaudette wrote:
> Thanks for posting this transaction Nikos. I look forward to further
> communications from the EEA.
> 
> As Hamish mentioned a couple messages up in this thread, it would be a
> good idea (if it hasn't already been done) to formalize these type of
> communications with government agencies to lobby for open formats.

Folks,

One option might be to involve the OSGeo geodata committee, with the
intention of possible having OSGeo submit an official request/suggestion
to such agencies.

I do think the agencies reasoning is not *too* off.  They provide shapefiles
which are widely accessable but also .mdb files due to the lossiness of
shapefiles.  A good solution would be to provide the data in GML format
which can avoid the lossiness of shapefiles and they seem to be moving
in that direction.  We just need to provide gentle encouragement.  The
telling point is that the .mdb files are essentially inaccessable outside
an ArcGIS environment.

Best regards,
-- 
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I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam at pobox.com
light and sound - activate the windows | http://pobox.com/~warmerdam
and watch the world go round - Rush    | President OSGeo, http://osgeo.org