ANNOUNC: GRASS OGF Activities Moved/User Survey (long)
Robert Szczepanek
robert at profek.wis.pk.edu.pl
Thu Jan 12 09:16:09 EST 1995
??95?3?01?pm at bnr.ca>
Reply-To: grassu-list at max.cecer.army.mil
NNTP-Posting-Host: ux1.cso.uiuc.edu
Originator: daemon at ux1.cso.uiuc.edu
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> GRASS Community Questionnaire
>
> The Rutgers University Center for Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis (CRSSA)
> has assumed the GRASS support and distribution functions that were formerly
> being provided by the Open GRASS Foundation (later Open GIS Foundation) of
> Boston Mass. In order to more effectively serve the GRASS user and developmen
t
> communities, we are asking that current or potential GRASS GIS users provide
us
> with information about their activities and their vision of the future of the
> GRASS software and community. Please fax or email your response, as well as a
ny
> additional comments or suggestions, to:
>
> Scott Madry or Carine O'Neil
> Center for Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis
> Box 231 Cook, Rutgers University
> New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0231 USA
> tel. (908) 932-1582/3 fax (908) 932-8746
> madry at ocean.rutgers.edu coneil at ocean.rutgers.edu
>
> Name Organization
Cracow University of Technology
Institute of Water Engineering and Water Management
> Address
ul. Warszawska 24
> Country Poland Postal Code 31-155
> Tel. (48-12) 33-03-00 ext.2855 Fax. (48-12) 33-10-83
> Name of Person Responding
Robert Szczepanek
> Title
MSc
> email
robert at profek.wis.pk.edu.pl
> Mosaic URL of Organization
-
> Type of Organization: University___X____ National Gov't agency________
> Individual ______State Gov't________ Local Gov't________
> International agency_____Commercial_______ Non-Profit________
> School________Other__________________________________________________
>
> GIS Software Used (please indicate number of seats or licenses) GRASS____1___
_
> Arc/Info____6____ ILWIS________Idrisi____1____ MGE________
> AutoCad____1____MapInfo_______ Genasys________
> Other__________________________________________________
>
>
> Hardware environment used for GIS/remote sensing/GPS work
> (please indicate general number of computers for each)
>
>
> DOS___GIS-3_____ MAC________ WINDOWS________SUN________ DEC________
> Silicon Graphics________LINUX_______ Intergraph________
>
> IBM Risc 6000________Other_______HP 9000/715: GIS-1______________________
>
> GIS/Remote Sensing Applications
>
> Archaeology________ Biology________ Coastal Studies________
> Environment____X____Military________Mapping________Marine______Urban____
> Park Mgmt_______ AM/FM________ Transportation_______ Utilities________ Wildli
fe
> Mgmt.________ Other_______Hydrology___X____
> What version(s) of GRASS do you currently use? ______4.1_________
>
> How did you find out about GRASS? Magazine (name)_________________ Friend___
_
> Mosaic_________ University (name)__Royal Institute of Technology (Stockholm)_
_ Other____
>
> How did you acquire GRASS? CD-ROM_____ Internet (moon)_____ Tape______
> Friend___X__Agency_________ Other_________________________
>
> How would you prefer to acquire GRASS in the future CD-ROM___X__ Internet__X_
__
> Tape_____ Friend_____ Agency_________ Other_________________________
> Tel. ____________________________Fax.________________________
>
> Do you want:
> Source code Y___ N___
> Compiled code Y___ N___ which compiled code?_________________
> Both Y__X_ N___
>
> Why do you use the GRASS GIS? Please rank from 1 to 10, meaning most importan
t
> (1) to least important (10)
>
> Cost__2___ Open Programming Environment__1__ Customer(s) use GRASS___3___
Ease of
> use___9___ Agency or company mandates its use_______
> Specific capabilities (list)____C-language__4____________________________
> Other__________________________________________________
> _______________________________________________________
>
> What kind of general uses for GRASS are there at your site?
>
> University teaching _____X_____research___X____applications___X___
> code development__X___contracting________short courses_____
> other__________________________________________________
>
> If you use GRASS for teaching, what kind of
> courses?_______________________________________________________
>
> What other GIS/RS software do you teach
> with?_______IDRISI___________________________________________________
>
> How would you rate GRASS as a teaching GIS (on a scale of 1-10 with 1 the bes
t
> and 10 the worst) ____________
>
> What do you like about teaching using GRASS?___________________
> ______________________________________________________________
>
> What do you not like about teaching using
> GRASS?___________________________________________
>
> What developments would you like to see that would help you the most in teach
ing
> using GRASS?___USER-FRIENDLY HELP AND PROGRAM ENVIRONMENT____________________
__
>
>
> _______________________________________________________
>
> GENERAL GRASS CAPABILITIES What do you see as the best general features of
> GRASS?______access to the source code__________________________
>
> _____________________________________________________
>
> ______________________________________________________
>
> What do you see as the worst features or greatest limitations of
> GRASS?_______user-interface_____________________________
>
> _______________________________________________________
>
> _______________________________________________________
>
> GRASS MEETINGS How should the GRASS user community address the issue of meeti
ngs?
> These cost money, and require significant administrative effort to plan and h
ost.
> We would like your ideas about how (or if) we should do future meetings.
>
> Should there be future GRASS meetings? Yes__X_No___
>
> What would most influence your decision to attend a GRASS meeting in the futu
re
> (put a number in order of importance, with 1 being the most important)
>
> cost__3__location__1__ What is your preferred location?____EUROPE____________
> content and quality of papers__2___Vendor booths____Seeing friends___
> "Birds of a feather" meetings___Fun__ Hearing Scott Madry Sing_____
>
> When would you most prefer such a meeting (month)____ANY TIME__________
>
>
> Would you consider hosting a future GRASS users meeting? Y__N_X_(not yet)_
>
>
> where_________________________when_________________________
>
>
> Would you prefer a: (please rank 1-7, with 1 being the best)
> Stand-alone GRASS users meeting___5____ Regional mtgs.__4__
> Joint meeting with URISA___3____ASPRS_____GIS/LIS___1____
> European meeting___2____ Asian/Pacific rim meeting_________
> Other___________________________________________________
>
> GRASSCLIPPINGS ISSUES In the past, there has been a color newsletter/magazine
> dealing with GRASS, funded partly through paid advertisements. Rutges wants
to
> produce a "virtual GRASSCLIPPINGS" as a mosaic home page on the internet. You
r
> comments are requested.
>
> Do you like the idea of a Mosaic-based "Virtual GRASSCLIPPINGS" magazine on t
he
> Internet? Y__X_ N___
>
> Do you currently have a Mosaic home page URL that could be "connected"?
> Yes______No__X___
> If yes, please list it:____________________________________________
>
>
> Provide the email address of the person responsible for it
> ___________________________________________________________
>
> Would you be willing to provide articles/papers/news/etc. via Mosaic for the
> Virtual Clippings? Yes____ No__X__ Explain___(maybe in the future)__________
_
>
> Do you have a better name for the new electronic
> Clippings?___________no________________________________________________
>
>
> How do we serve those without Mosaic
> capability_____________________________________________________
>
>
> GRASS USERS GROUP ISSUES In the past, the official functions of organizing GR
ASS
> activities have been handled by the Open GRASS Foundation. Now that the OGF i
s
> gone, we should discuss the future of the grass users group. We want to prop
ose
> that we create a new organization to coordinate GRASS-related activities.
>
> Should there be a new GRASS Users Organization? Y_X__ N___
>
>
> Do you have a suggestion for a name for the new GRASS users
> group____________________________________________________________
>
>
> Should this new organization be :
>
> a legal entity (non-profit corporation, etc.)? Y_X__ N___
> a loosely organized user group Y___ N___
> other structure____________________________________________
> Don't really care _____
>
>
> Do we need to form a new GRASS users group Steering Committee
> Y___ N___
>
> Would you be willing to participate in a meaningful way (meaning time and eff
ort)
> by serving on a Steering Committee? Y__ N__
>
> Can I put your name on a list that will be posted on grass-l to be voted on b
y
> the community within the next month or so. Y__ N__
>
> It costs money to provide many of the services that have been available to th
e
> GRASS community in the past. How should we (or should we) consider raising fu
nds
> for future GRASS activities?
>
> Would you pay individual membership dues? Y__X__ N____
> How much would you be willing to pay per year $___20-30______
> Should ther be a group or organizational membership? Y___ N_X__
> How much would your organization be willing to pay per year ? $______
> Should we try to get grants to fund GRASS activities from standard granting
> organizations Y_X__ N___
> Which ones?___State Committee of Scientific Research (Poland)___________
> Other ________________________
> Don't feel the need to raise funds_____
>
> GRASS DISTRIBUTION AND RELEASE ISSUES
>
> GRASS currently resides in the public domain, with free access to source code
> available on the internet. This is one of its great strengths. CD-ROMs and
> documentation are available for nominal cost from Rutgers, and there are
> commercial spin-off versions that are available. Primary development and rele
ase
> coordination costs are significant, and are still provided by CERL (and other
s).
> If this model changes, how would you like to see GRASS distribution and relea
se
> coordination (which costs real money and staff) handled in the future after t
he
> 5.0 release (please rate 1-10, with 1 being the most preferable, and 10 being
> the least).
>
> __1_ As is, in the public domain, with source available on the internet for
> free, source and compiled code available on CD-ROM and manuals available for
a
> small fee.
>
> __5_Stop public domain status with 5.0, and transition GRASS to an "IDRISI" l
ike
> model, with Rutgers providing all support, new development, documentation, ne
w
> ports, etc. for a reasonable fee per release.
>
> What is a reasonable fee for each new release for such a complete
> product/service?
> Academic US $ 100_________ Commercial US $ 100_________
> Academic US $ 300____X_____ Commercial US $ 300_________
> Academic US $ 500_________ Commercial US $ 500_________
> Academic US $ 1,000_________ Commercial US $ 1,000_________
> Other US $ _________________
>
> Other proposed model___________________________________________________
>
> GRASS DEVELOPMENT ISSUES The GRASS community includes a large number of
> technical development sites around the world. The issue of how (or if) we
> should coordinate GRASS development in the wider international community alon
g
> with the two primary development sites (USA/CERL and USDA SCS) should be
> considered, especially if or
> when they reduce their development activities significantly.
>
> Should future GRASS development be coordinated? Y___ N___
>
> What are the five most important GRASS development areas that need to be
> addressed (what does GRASS most need that it doesn't have now)?
>
> 1)___________________________________________________________
> 2)___________________________________________________________
> 3)___________________________________________________________
> 4)___________________________________________________________
> 5)___________________________________________________________
>
> Would you or your facility be interested in participating in a new GRASS
> development consortium or group that will serve as a clearinghouse for
> coordinating and sharing development activities. Y__X_ N___
>
> How should such a consortium be aranged to produce future GRASS releases beyo
nd
> version 5.0 if CERL/SCS no longer supports future releases? How can the
> responsibilities and costs be shared?____I don't have such experience and I d
on't
have idea how can the responsibilities and costs be shared.
> ___________________________________________________________
>
> Would you be willing to support a site at your facility that would be
> responsible for grass ports and configuration maintenance for a particular
> HW/OS configuration? Y_X_ N__
> If yes, what configuration? ___HP 9000, but I'm not sure if I have sufficient
experience___
>
> CERL currently maintains the "moon" server that contains the GRASS source cod
e,
> documentation, etc. While there is no immediate intention at CERL to stop, it
> is realistic to assume that this arrangement will not continue indefinately.
If
> CERL decides to stop maintaining the server in the future, what would you
> suggest as an alternative?
>
> ___X__Find a new site to maintain the public domain server
> (Apx. 1 full time system manager time and cost, plus equipment)
>
> How would such a site be funded?___MEMBERSHIP FEE ?___
>
> Would you be willing to provide (and fund) such a site at your
> facility? Y__ N_X_
>
> _____Find a new site to maintain a server that would charge some access fee.
> What charge would be acceptable? US$ _____________
>
> _____Stop the maintenance of a centralized server
>
> Other___________________________________________________________
>
Good luck,
--
_________________________________________________________________
* *
* Robert Szczepanek *
* """ Cracow University of Technology *
* 'o o` Institute of Water Engineering and Water Management *
* | ul.Warszawska 24 *
* \_/ 31-155 Cracow POLAND *
* *
* tel: (48-12) 33-03-00 ext.2855 *
* fax: (48-12) 33-10-83 *
* E-mail: robert at profek.wis.pk.edu.pl *
_________________________________________________________________
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