[OSGeo-Edu] [Fwd: Sorry can't make it]

[Charlie Schweik]

I just wanted to add one more thing I am puzzling over:

Over the summer we hope to start moving toward teaching material using 
GRASS. I am an experienced ArcGIS, ERDAS Imagine and ENVI user, but am 
new with GRASS. I am also new with Linux. My research assistant is 
looking into the GRASS plug-in for Quantum and I've read that the next 
release should have more functionality than the current release. I'm 
teaching undergrad and grad students in natural resources conservation 
fields and in public policy and administration. I'm trying to get them 
introduced to Linux and open source. We have a lab here using Ubuntu and 
I've got some support from IBM to maintain it. But I am finding some 
hesitation of students (in non technical fields) toward using Linux.

So one of the questions I am puzzling now is regarding platforms -- 
should we write course materials (specifically if this material is being 
made available through this collaboration) for Wndows, Linux, or both? 
Much of the material won't need to know this, other than for file 
management. But the beginning of the course would need to provide some 
information on this.

So, the short question to the group, regarding curriculum that might use 
QGIS or GRASS, any advice on this platform issue?
I'm assuming globally, writing for Windows is probably important, 
although I know Linux is gaining ground, particularly in Europe.

Thoughts are appreciated.

Cheers

Charlie Schweik

Puneet Kishor wrote:
> Forwarding Charlie Schweik's regrets for tomorrow, and his concerns for
> discussion/consideration.
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Sorry can't make it
> Date: Thu, 11 May 2006 20:38:31 -0400
> From: Charlie Schweik <cschweik at pubpol.umass.edu>
> To: P Kishor <punkish at eidesis.org>
>
> Hi,
> I can't make tomorrow's IRC either. We're in the last week of classes
> and finals.
> If you could, just inform everyone that in the next month I will try and
> post the beginnings of the
>
> "Intro to FOSS GIS" or possibly better named (I need to think this
> through more) "Intro to FOSS GIS for Natural Resource Conservation and
> Public Policy" course.
>
> Issues that needs to be discussed is
>
> - What format should course material (or modules) be developed in? Wiki
> pages? Open Office documents?
> - What kind of open content licensing should be used?
> - How will author contribution be tracked?
>
> What I have right now is about a half a semester of first-draft material
> using Quantum GIS. With modules on introduction, georeferencing, online
> digitizing, mapping GPS points. Not much on the data base component yet.
>
> Cheers
>
> Charlie Schweik
> University of Massachusetts, Amherst
>
>
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