[OSGeo-Discuss] Can I do the same GIS tasks with OS (as with ESRI)?

[Paul Ramsey]

I'd buck up for a copy of ArcView (much cheaper than ArcGIS), and use
GRASS / PostGIS / etc tools for things like analysis. You can use
ArcView to generate the paper and do some quick low-end analytics and
the other tools for more involved stuff.

My general synopsis: for server-side, for scriptability, for
automation, for web-based, open source wins for most use cases, given
a technically savvy user; for ad hoc, for cartographic production, for
a user who is used to a point-n-click experience end to end,
proprietary still wins.

This equation hasn't changed much in the 10 years I've been running
it. The goal posts have moved, open source is better at adhoc now than
before, but still not at the level of ESRI, and ESRI is better at the
server stuff now, but still not at the level of open source.

P.

On Thu, Apr 24, 2008 at 12:41 PM, Jennifer Horsman <jen at jencarta.com> wrote:
> The thread that was started today with the subject "Your open source career"
> got me thinking about asking a question that has been rolling around in my
> head. This is pointed at those people who have experience with ESRI products
> as well as OS GIS products.
>
>  I have been a long-time user of ESRI products, but I want to start my own
> contract business and will not be able to afford the license for
> ArcGIS/ArcInfo. So I recently set up a Linux box with GRASS installed, but
> it has been over 10 years since I have used GRASS (it has probably changed
> since then too!)
>
>  Does GRASS have the same analysis and display capabilities as ArcGIS? I
> know this is a very general question, so perhaps another question would be
> where does GRASS fall short and where does it excel in comparison to the
> ESRI products?
>
>  Thanks,
>  Jennifer
>
>
>
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