[Workshops] FOSS4G Live DVD

[Mark Leslie]

Mark Leslie wrote:
> Paolo Zatelli wrote:
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>> Dear Mark,
>> we are working on the material for our "Practical introduction to GRASS
>> and related software for beginners" workshop.
>> For the workshop we need:
>> - - GRASS with python interface;
>> - - the standard North Carolina GRASS demo data set, the "smaller simpler
>> subset (47MB)"
>> (http://grass.osgeo.org/sampledata/north_carolina/nc_basic_spm.tar.gz)
>> is sufficient;
>> - - our HTML tutorial;
>> - - a PDF file containing the introductory slides for the workshop.
>>
>> The last years we used our own live DVD, especially tailored for the
>> Conference (see for example the 2008 DVD here:
>> http://www.ing.unitn.it/~grass/software/FOSS4G2008_GRASS_beginners_DVD.html).
>> A 2009 version is already available here
>> http://www.ing.unitn.it/~grass/software/GRASS_DVDit.html
>> but the tutorial is in Italian, we are working on a new English translation.
>>
>>
>> This year we have two possibilities, which both have pros and cons:
>> 1. create a new, up to date live DVD;
>> 2. add our material to the conference DVD.
>>
>> The first option is the one which allow us to control software's
>> versions, therefore we can guarantee the consistency of the software,
>> the tutorial and the documentation.
>> The drawback is that somebody must test the DVD on the workshop
>> computers in time to allow fixes and modifications; moreover,
>> arrangements must be made to make copies of the DVD for the workshops
>> participants (we can obviously make the copies here, but bringing some
>> 40-50 DVDs to Australia is something we hope not to have to do).
>>
>> The second option means that we must be sure of the GRASS version
>> included in the conference live DVD: experience demonstrates that a
>> slight change in the interface is very troubling for beginners. We must
>> have time to check all the tutorial's procedures and images against the
>> GRASS version in the DVD, this can take a couple of weeks.
>> I am working on a debian package of our tutorial, to make it is easier
>> to add it to a Debian/Ubuntu installation. In the case we choose to use
>> the conference DVD this should be the way to add the tutorial, but,
>> again, I must have time for testing it.
>> The DVD page (http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/FOSS4G_2009_Live_DVD) is
>> currently empty.
>>
>> Our preference is toward the use of our own live DVD, as we can control
>> software versions, but somebody must test the DVD on the workshop Pcs
>> and make the copies for the participants.
>>
>> Please let me know if there is a strong preference for the use of the
>> conference DVD.
>>
>>
>> Thank you for your assistance in the conference fees payment, we have
>> finally solved all the issues today and the money should arrive in due time.
>>
>> Best regards,			Paolo Zatelli
>>
>> ps should I send this kind of messages to the workshop mailing list,
>> instead of sending them directly to you?
>> - --
>> Paolo Zatelli                                 Paolo.Zatelli at ing.unitn.it
>> Dip. Ingegneria Civile e Ambientale
>> Facolta' di Ingegneria, Universita' di Trento     Phone +39 0461 88 2618
>> Via Mesiano 77, 38050 Trento, Italy.              Fax   +39 0461 88 2672
>> PGP public key available at http://www.ing.unitn.it/~zatelli
>> "The best is always yet to come, that's what they explain to me" B.Dylan
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> 
> Ideally we would like to use the standard FOSS4G Live DVD, but at the 
> moment I'm not aware of anybody that's stepped up to get it updated and 
> released.  I'm going to have to prod some lists and get back to you on 
> that.
> 
> As for the workshops list, it's a good idea to cc the list so that any 
> other presenters will be kept up to speed.  It's faster for me if you 
> email me directly as well, but I do watch the workshops list if you don't.
> 
> Mark Leslie
> Geospatial Software Architect
> LISAsoft
> 
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> 
> 

Paolo,
It's looking like the standard FOSS4G LiveDVD is going to be a high risk 
this year.  It's already missed the stated feature freeze and beta 
release and there's nobody with a solid plan to get it updated and 
released, so I would recommend you go ahead with your own dvd.  At some 
stage I will have one workshop PC to install our material on, I'll have 
the opportunity to test a live dvd on that, but I don't have a firm date 
for that yet.  It's also possible that our conference planners will do 
that instead due to insurance issues, but I'm not sure yet.

--
Mark