[GRASS-dev] Making start of GRASS GIS easier for newcomers

[Markus Neteler]

(now back from https://fosdem.org/2015/schedule/track/geospatial/ -
digging through the emails)

On Mon, Feb 2, 2015 at 9:01 PM, Markus Metz
<markus.metz.giswork at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Mon, Feb 2, 2015 at 8:01 PM, Vaclav Petras <wenzeslaus at gmail.com> wrote:
>> More improvements for startup window in r64405.

Please let's not welcome a (new) user with a warning... looks scary.

> For newcomers/no rc file: how about creating a new GRASS GIS database
> in $HOME,

+1

> in there a new location with EPSG:4326 (latlong wgs84), the
> empty PERMANENT mapset will be created automatically. Does not apply
> to MS Windows, because the demolocation is created during
> installation.

In theory the demolocation could be everywhere since it is part of the
source code and even contains a world map.

> Why not having a minimal welcome screen with a dropdown list for
> existing locations and a dropdown list for existing mapsets in the
> selected location, plus a prominent OK button and a change/manage
> button, nothing else?

+1
At FOSDEM, we discussed this issue and most discussion participants
thought exactly in this direction.

> It's the difference between
>
> "You need to fill in this form first, and fix the errors in the form,
> after that you may enter GRASS GIS"
>
> and
>
> "Welcome! Just press OK to enter GRASS GIS"

Yes, the latters reads way more inviting....

markusN