[GRASS5] [bug #4157] (grass) Cartographic tools, display

[Hamish]

> this bug's URL: http://intevation.de/rt/webrt?serial_num=4157
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Subject: Cartographic tools, display
..
> This is a general statement so please read it entirely before rolling
> your eyes. I have spent many years working for various GIS vendors and
> I can tell you that in order for GRASS to have wide acceptance it must
> improve four major areas.

No need for eyes to roll, genuinely given feedback is always welcome.


> 1) Integration. Integration, Integration.
> GRASS must easly intergrated with other components such as a RDBMS
> (POSTGIS).  

This is partially a packaging issue, the DebianGIS team have been 
doing a really great job along these lines. A lot of spatial stuff 
"just works" now in Debian. The issues encountered and overcome by
the DebianGIS folk can only filter through & help other platforms.
At the code level, most of the glue is there & operational, it is 
just the polish that is missing. That will come with time.


> 2) User training and support are virtually non-existant.

You can buy training, e.g.:
  http://www.gdf-hannover.de/leistungen.php?id=3&lg=en
  http://www.intevation.net/services/gis.en.html

Informal support via the mail lists is pretty good. Better than most
commercial support I ever had to deal with working as a professional
engineer.


> 2) Cartographic ability: layout, design and output are very poor with
> GRASS and unless it improves it will never be generally accepted. This
> has always been a problem and I know output is just a pretty picture
> to some but it is a big factor to many. QGIS is not an intergrated
> solution BTW.

ps.map is not exactly a user friendly interface, but you can create
publication quality graphics with it. The d.* modules are fine for
presentation graphics, and if you still aren't happy you can export
your data to the GMT cartography software^. GRASS is traditionally an
analysis package, not a cartography package and of course there is room
for improvement. QGIS is intergrated on Debian if you have the plugin
packages installed.

[^] http://169.237.35.250/~dylan/grass_user_group/#GMT_and_GRASS-overview


> 3) On the fly projections. Need I say more?

In GRASS 5.4 there are the d.viewproj modules donated by Beverly Wallace
of Lockheed Martin; screenshots attached. I encourage you to check it
out.  grass-5.4.0/src.contrib/LM/viewproj

A keen soul could probably port this to GRASS 6 without much effort.



Hamish
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