[OSGeo Africa] OSGeo Africa

Thu Mar 1 01:58:57 EST 2012

Colleagues,

With regard to SITA the focus on OS GIS has been rather limited.  On the broader IT we have made some genuine quantifiable progress.  Since the FOSS for GIS conference in 2008 most of our endeavour have been limited if not canned.  We had one client for whom we completed an OS GIS application BUT it was never rolled out.  We are also constrained by our clients who, by the time they call us for further assistance, have already decided on proprietary GIS.  SITA’s mandate is to serve as an independent advisor and not an enforcer of which tools to use.

We currently have, on our desk, a client’s requirements whose needs a combine both proprietary and OS GIS.  SITA has three sub-sections focusing on GIS separately for security reasons.  I am currently not aware of any SITAzen who is dedicated to OS GIS (research or otherwise).

From: africa-bounces at lists.osgeo.org [mailto:africa-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of S Coetzer
Sent: 01 March 2012 08:39 AM
To: chedberg at telkomsa.net; Africa local chapter discussions
Subject: Re: [OSGeo Africa] Junior GIS Developer needed

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)

"Leading the pack" meant not in stability but in functionality the software provide the user at no cost.

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).

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.

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:
http://malareo-gis.wikispaces.com/

Remember OSS is an open sharing community, 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.

Sarel Coetzer 

On Thu, Mar 1, 2012 at 6:57 AM, Calle Hedberg <chedberg at telkomsa.net> wrote:

Hi,

“OSS software is leading the proprietary pack” – well, that’s debatable, isn’t it? 

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).

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….

Regards

Calle Hedberg

From: africa-bounces at lists.osgeo.org [mailto:africa-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of S Coetzer
Sent: 29 February 2012 04:09 PM
To: gavinjfleming at gmail.com; Africa local chapter discussions
Subject: Re: [OSGeo Africa] Junior GIS Developer needed

Thanks Gavin

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.

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.

SQL server now has spatial extension (only couple years late)
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)

It seems that OSS software is leading the propitiatory pack but yet organizations wants to pay license fees.

Just sharing my thoughts

Regards
Sarel Coetzer 

On Wed, Feb 29, 2012 at 3:45 PM, Gavin <gavinjfleming at gmail.com> wrote:

I'm also interested in Modiba's take, and of other SITA employees on this list.

Here are some background docs to FOSS and interoperability policy in SA:

http://www.sita.co.za/FOSS/FOSS1.html

http://gissa.org.za/special-interest-groups/open-source/foss-documents

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. 

Gavin

On Wed, 2012-02-29 at 13:36 +0200, S Coetzer wrote:

Hi Modiba

Please provide us (OSGEO List users) with Sita's policy with regards to using FOSS products. Very curious on your take on this.

Sarel Coetzer 

	On Wed, Feb 29, 2012 at 12:26 PM, Modiba Ramohlale <modiba.ramohlale at sita.co.za> wrote:

	I will have to agree with Greg.  I have guided two 'good' programmers
	who initially had no knowledge of GIS.  It took them less than 3 months
	to understand how ArcIMS was constructed as well as AXL et al.

	-----Original Message-----
	From: africa-bounces at lists.osgeo.org
	[mailto:africa-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of Gregory Setei
	Sent: 29 February 2012 12:03 PM
	To: jeffy_ditsela at yahoo.com; Africa local chapterdiscussions;
	tsakane.baloyi at dpw.gov.za
	Subject: RE: [OSGeo Africa] Junior GIS Developer needed

	Dear Jeffy,

	I do have someone who is a Developer/ programmer, what he has no GIS
	background at this stage but he is willing to learn. His credentials
	include -Javascript
	-C#.
	.Net
	-SQL Server.

	If you can provide training on the ArcGIS programme, he will not
	disappoint you. His contact are 0739854916. His name is Grant Mandla
	Setei.

	Regards,

	Greg S

	-----Original Message-----
	From: africa-bounces at lists.osgeo.org
	[mailto:africa-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of
	jeffy_ditsela at yahoo.com
	Sent: 28 February 2012 03:51 PM
	To: africa at lists.osgeo.org; tsakane.baloyi at dpw.gov.za
	Subject: [OSGeo Africa] Junior GIS Developer needed

	Hi All,

	I need a GIS Developer a.s.a.p to be based in Pretoria Head Office of
	Department of Public Works.
	-Knowleage of ESRI ArcGIS Suite 9.3.1 or above -ASP.net -Javascript
	-C#.Net -SQL Server or Oracle DB -Proficient in OOP, Design patterns,
	best practices and be experience of SDLC.

	Willing to learn new technologies, team player and innovative.

	I am will to teach the potential candidate if she/he shortfall of the
	above requirements.

	Preferable be South African with a valid ID and just graduated from a
	reputable University but if Foreign Nationals,be ready with proper work
	documentation.

	Thanks and regards,

	Jeofrey Ditsela (www.tipp.co.za)

	Contact me @ jeffy_ditsela at yahoo.com or 083 895 8997 <tel:083%20895%208997>  Sent from my
	BlackBerry(r) wireless device
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-- 
Gavin Fleming
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Paarl
South Africa
18°59'18.8"E 33°44'40.2"S

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