[fdo-internals] Dropping off PSC

[Frank Warmerdam]

Leaf Li wrote:
> I will try to summarize all of my changes to OGR and write one GDAL RFC
> document for your review. Actually those are exactly MITAB issues that I
> met.
> 
> 1.  As for field type, I have a little different opinions. I found you
> already write one GDAL RFC to address 64bit integer. 
> http://trac.osgeo.org/gdal/wiki/rfc31_ogr_64
> 
> Why do you think it is a problem to add int16, float, decimal?

Leaf,

I am proposing adding int64 because a 32bit integer cannot represent
large integer values.  I find it most unfortunate that I need to add
such a type, and have resisted it for years, but there is no other
way to actually preserve the field values.

 > If the field
> type is int16, GDAL expose it as int32. It must there are some issue to
> update filed value with one integer value larger than maximum value of
> int16. For me, I think the major issue is efforts. I don't know what are
> exactly your concerns. However, providing some sort of additional hints
> mechanisms around attribute fields is a good idea.

My concern is complication of the API, increase in the number of cases
applications and driver code must try to deal with.  I feel the role of
a glue layer, like OGR, is to provide a normalized view of data not
too complicated by details of the storage format.  There is, of course,
a tension between fine grained control and simplicity.  FDO has clearly
taken the approach that there is no grain too fine to provide FDO
mechanisms to handle.  OGR aims for simplicity over fine grained control.

(IMHO)

> 4. My biggest concerns is I have to handle all of OGR drivers once I any
> changes to OGR API. It isn't one trivial task. If I am not busy in next
> several months, I can finish it using my spare time. Otherwise, I have to
> check whether Autodesk will provide funding for it.

Well, I guess it just feels like a job half done if MITAB is forked into
a distinct FDO provider and then orphaned without a resourced effort
to re-integrate the changes upstream.  I respect how much you have
accomplished on your own time, but I can't ask you to spend lots more
time struggling through the GDAL and MITAB RFC/contribution process.
Hopefully Autodesk or some other client will see the provider as strategic
and support further work on it.

Best regards,
-- 
---------------------------------------+--------------------------------------
I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam at pobox.com
light and sound - activate the windows | http://pobox.com/~warmerdam
and watch the world go round - Rush    | Geospatial Programmer for Rent