[OSGeo-Discuss] packaging FOSS GIS for Ubuntu in education

[RAVI KUMAR]

Hi,
  GRASS on a Ubuntu / Mandriva Linux distribution is most welcome.
  As it was said on this list, still installing GRASS on Linux needs GEEK support.
   
  GRASS on MS-Windows can lure neo-converts, to migrate to GRASS on Linux.
  Until recently (even now ??) GRASS on windows has serious difficulty, hope this also gets resolved.
  Cheers
  Ravi Kumar

Venkatesh Raghavan <raghavan at media.osaka-cu.ac.jp> wrote:
  Hi Cameron and others,

Cameron has made an excellent suggestion and
summarized what needs to be done.

Our Mandriva FOSS4G Toolkit is not a LiveCD.
The CD and training material can be assessed from.
http://wiki.osgeo.org/index.php/Educational_Content_Inventory#Training_Notes_on_Spatial_Data_Sharing_using_FOSS

We are now testing and re-building RPM for
Mandriva 2008. I will put all info about this
on wiki and inform on this list.

Kind regards

Venka

Cameron Shorter wrote:
> Lorenzo and others, Your LiveCD and the UbuntuGIS, DebianGIS is an
> excellent basis for the OSGeo Version Matrix required to seed the
> building of an *integrated* OSGeo stack.
> 
> The project dependencies I see are:
> 
> OSGeo Packages +-OSGeo Matrix Project +-LiveCD +-MandrivaGIS 
> +-DebianGIS +-UbuntuGIS +-Ubuntu +-WindowsGIS (yet to be started) 
> +-Other distributions
> 
> +-OpenSource Workshops +-Documentation
> 
> The effort required to achieve all the above is huge. But there are 
> already many people working on each of these sections, and by 
> integrating our efforts we are all going to benefit. I hear your call
> for donations and encourage it. Some people give money, others give
> time. Lets make it easy for people to give time to this project as
> well.
> 
> So I suggest the following: 1. Get buy in from the
> Ubuntu/Debian/Mandriva GIS linux builders. I've see Venkatesh has
> been packaging for Mandriva. Is anyone from Ubuntu/Debian communities
> watching this thread? If not, lets email them and get their input.
> 
> 2. Start an OSGeoVersionMatrix project. It could be the liveCD
> project, or start from the versions in the liveCD project. It should
> contain: * Web page * Email list * Version dependency matrix (how
> should we store this) * Build processes * Test processes * Release
> schedule This project would be an excellent candidate for 
> http://wiki.osgeo.org/index.php/OSGeo_Labs
> 
> 3. Have projects like UbuntuGIS, DebianGIS, liveCD use the 
> OSGeoVersionMatrix as the core for building their own distributions,
> which in turn will ensure that testing, bug fixes etc all feed back
> into the core repository.
> 
> --- Do the above steps make sense?
> 
> I might be volunteering to help with the initial grunt work.
> 
> 
> Lorenzo Becchi wrote:
>> Cameron analysis is clear and well centered to me. With others,
>> we've started trying to do something in this direction since one
>> year ago. it is clear to us that if we base the development of such
>> a platform on volunteers, we will need a long time to succeed.
>> loooong time. If we want something for the next year, an investment
>> in time and money is needed. I know geeks capable to do the
>> technical part (see: Luca, Jachym and Frankie) but I don't know
>> who's interested to invest enough money on such a project.
>> 
>> with Luca, as a challenge, we've decided to make a donation program
>> for our liveCd. In one year we've collected around 500€ (200 are
>> mine) and we barely pay bandwidth, for the external host. This is
>> just an example, we are not the only ones, but it's clear that
>> without investments there will be poor future for such a thing. 
>> from the other side, downloads are growing continuously.
>> 
>> try to search for "GIS live Cd" on google, and try to list projects
>> that made more then one distro for longer then a year. Please,
>> don't stop reading google list, go and see those pages, most of
>> projects barely have a home page or are off since long.
>> 
>> ciao Lorenzo
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Cameron Shorter wrote:
>>> Gavin, I think the time is ripe to consolidate upon this goal. 
>>> I'd like to expand the goal a bit and then break it down into 
>>> achievable steps.
>>> 
>>> *The goal:* Powerful, Simple, Used, Integrated, Open Source
>>> Geospatial Applications
>>> 
>>> *Current status* We already have powerful applications, but we
>>> still need geeks if you want to install and then use a full stack
>>> of OSGeo software. Our applications are often easy to install by
>>> themselves, but project release schedules are independent of each
>>> other and it is hard to keep up with which versions of software
>>> work with each other. Documentation and training material is
>>> still in an early phase. This material needs to be cross project,
>>> and matched to the software versions too.
>>> 
>>> *Key Steps* *Set up project version dependency table* A table
>>> which lists for each project version, the other project versions
>>> it depends upon. This dependency table can be used by UbuntuGIS,
>>> DebianGIS, liveCD, a windows packager etc. For this we should be
>>> able to tap into expertise from liveCD and linux distribution
>>> communities. Once this dependency table exists, the onus on
>>> maintaining it will become the responsibility of projects (and
>>> become an entry criteria for OSGeo projects). For efficiency, it
>>> would probably help to set a release timetable for snap shots of
>>> the dependency list, which should be timed to link with with
>>> other distributions.
>>> 
>>> *OSGeo Workshops & Tutorials* * I see an immediate opportunity to
>>> present OSGeo Workshops at Geospatial Conferences. Agencies want
>>> to learn about OSGeo, and workshops are a great advertising tool
>>> for companies looking for OSGeo work. * Together we can
>>> collectively build some quality documentation here, and we have
>>> the resources (potential presenters) to develop the 
>>> documentation. * These workshops require a stable set of
>>> software, so should be able to seed the dependency table as well.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> *Further documentation* Comprehensive documentation which has
>>> already started in the education committee should be able to tap
>>> into and get a boost from the workshops and tutorials. I'll let
>>> others comment on the path this should take.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Gavin Fleming wrote:
>>>> While Venka is on the topic of packaging FOSS GIS for Ubuntu,
>>>> I'd like to put a niche request / challenge to the community.
>>>> 
>>>> High schools in South Africa and elsewhere need a FOSS
>>>> alternative to use and teach GIS, which is a compulsory part of
>>>> the syllabus from this year. FOSS GIS at present is too
>>>> inaccessible. My challenge is to have a packaged CD for Ubuntu
>>>> to launch at FOSS4G2008 in Cape Town. This CD (or DVD) would
>>>> have:
>>>> 
>>>> -one-click installation for Linux, Windows or Mac. -Integrated
>>>> software stack so teachers and learners have to launch a 
>>>> minimal number of applications -Simplified and customised GUIs
>>>> to lower the entry threshold. -for teachers to teach curriculum
>>>> requirements of GIS -for teachers to use GIS to teach geography
>>>> and other subjects -for learners to use for hands-on work 
>>>> -Free, integrated global and local data package -excellent
>>>> documentation -framework for local contributors to structure
>>>> and contribute exercises, lessons, etc. -central website for
>>>> resources -possible advanced options for network deployment,
>>>> more sophisticated users, 'computer studies' learners (i.e.
>>>> developers), school web map services, etc.
>>>> 
>>>> Any takers?
>>>> 
>>>> Gavin
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>> 
>> _______________________________________________ Discuss mailing
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>> 
> 
> 

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