The Future of GRASS
J.M. Patek
jpatek at smokey.prismnet.com
Sat Mar 16 07:00:00 EST 1996
David:
I have been wondering much the same thing since I read the
posting on the future of GRASS. Specifically, I was wondering
if Rutgers might be considering giving GRASS a new home. Since
they have a large GRASS information page there is some logic to
it. Have you or Andreas heard any more on this subject. I have
been considering setting up a home page and might consider using
it as a distribution site. The costs don't seem out of range
but, to some extent, it would depend upon the ammount of
traffic. I agree that I would be more comfortable providing a
home for the GRASS code if it were covered under the GNU
copyright.
Jim Patek
Environmental Engineer
Patek and Associates
Austin, TX
jpatek at smokey.prismnet.com
David Mandel wrote:
>
> Dear GRASS users and programmers,
>
> I'm surprised that Andreas Holz's posting on the future of GRASS
> didn't get more response. (You will find a copy of his posting appended
> to this posting.)
>
> I have many questions, but I think his proposal to create a
> "Free GIS Foundation" should be considered seriously. Their are major
> changes taking place in the US Federal government that will result
> in much less funding for freeware in general and GRASS in particular.
> Like Andreas I think the world needs an open GIS which is affordable
> and open for everyone to view and modify as needed.
>
> GRASS could be the foundation for such a GIS. It is a good GIS
> with a large highly skilled user/developer base. It was also developed
> in the public domain, so the source code is publicly available for
> all to use, modify, and redistribute. This is true even if CERL shuts
> down the GRASS project.
>
> Before creating a new organization, I'ld like to know what the
> existing organizations are doing.
>
> (1) What is the status of the CERL GRASS development program?
> Is it shuting down? Phasing down? ???
> Will there be a GRASS 5.0?
> If so, what will it contain?
>
> (2) Once upon a time there was an "Open GRASS Foundation" which
> then became the "Open GIS Foundation" which doesn't seem to
> have much interest in GRASS.
> Is this true?
> Are they relevant to the future of GRASS?
>
> (3) What happened to the GRASS Journal or GRASS Online Journal or ???
>
> (4) Did the same thing happen to the GRASS Conference?
> Since most GRASS (or Linux) users can't afford to attend
> conferences would it be practical to hold some sort of
> online conference? I suppose internet isn't quite there yet.
> At least, I'm not there with my 14.4 k baud SLIP account.
>
> (5) I keep hearing that some of the GRASS developers are now
> working on the "next generation of GIS software".
> Is this something the GRASS people should wait for?
> (Or is this like waiting for a good version of MS-Windows?)
>
> The Free Software Foundation, the Linux Project, publishers such as
> Specialized System Consultants and O'Reiley & Associates, and internet
> communications have all advanced the freeware industry a great deal.
> They seem to be developing a freeware business model which is highly
> decentralized and doesn't depend on major government and/or corporate
> sponsors. This might work well for a "Free GIS Foundation."
>
> So if there was a "Free GIS Foundation"
>
> (1) How would it be funded?
> How much funding would be required?
> (Could this come from sales of advertising in online and paper
> publications, subscriptions, coffee cups and nick-nacks?)
> If so, who would fund it up front?
>
> (2) Could the modified versions of GRASS be moved to a GNU license
> or is this important? (This would help keep all future enhancements
> by anyone open to all.)
>
> (3) Would current GRASS users/programmers accept and aid a
> "Free GIS Foundation"?
>
> David Mandel
> Chief Activist
> Portland Linux Users Gr
oup
> 1114 NE 57th
> Portland, Oregon 97213
> USA
> dmandel at transport.com
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
------------
>
> >From Andreas.Holz at oi32.kwu.siemens.deWed Mar 6 09:34:47 1996
> Date: Tue, 5 Mar 1996 11:42:28 +0100 (MEZ)
> From: Andreas Holz <Andreas.Holz at oi32.kwu.siemens.de>
> Reply to: grassu-list at moon.cecer.army.mil
> Sender: grass-lists-owner at moon.cecer.army.mil.
> Reply-To: grassu-list at moon.cecer.army.mil.
> Precedence: Bulk
> To: grassu-list at max.cecer.army.mil
> Cc: GRASS at oi32.kwu.siemens.de, LINUX at oi32.kwu.siemens.de,
> Thre at oi32.kwu.siemens.de, GRASS at oi32.kwu.siemens.de,
> CD at oi32.kwu.siemens.de, and at oi32.kwu.siemens.de,
> the at oi32.kwu.siemens.de, shutdown at oi32.kwu.siemens.de,
> of at oi32.kwu.siemens.de, the at oi32.kwu.siemens.de,
> GRASS at oi32.kwu.siemens.de, development at oi32.kwu.siemens.de
> Subject: grassp-list at max.cecer.army.mil
>
> Dear GRASS users and programmers,
>
> a lot of thanks to all, who bought the GRASS CD for Linux and
> gave me support for my "GRASS for Linux on CD" project. There
> are only a few CD's available.
>
> I'm planning a new release for Linux based on the new
> Linux ELF format, but I won't release the CD before
> fall or winter 96, because I have to finish my PhD, I'm
> moving from south Germany to northeast and I'll start
> a job at a GIS-related office.
>
> In connection with the CD there will be available a book
> on GIS, esp. using GRASS, because there is no good and
> practical book on GIS available, from my knowledge.
>
> The new GRASS release will be much more stable ab bug free
> than the current CD.
>
> All users of the current CD wil get the new one for a special price.
>
>
> I was very surprised, when I read about the GRASS development
> shutdown, because I thought, there will be a new GRASS release,
> called GRASS 5.0 in Winter 95! This means, there will be no
> maintained free GIS availabe on the market!
>
> I think, now is the time to create a public project to
> maintain and to enhance the GRASS code in the future.
>
> I propose to create a "Free Gis Foundation" similar to the
> Linux project to:
>
> - manage the code
> - debug the code
> - enhance GRASS
> - create a modern user-interface
> - coordinate the development
> - manage a ftp-server
> - manage a GRASS www server
> .. and Your ideas
>
> And some questions to CERL:
>
> - what will be the state of GRASS-code after
> the shutdown of development
> - will the code be free in the future
> - who will get the rights to distribute
>
> Andreas
>
> ==============================================================
> David Mandel, Linux Activist dmandel at transport.com
> Internet Provided by: Transport Logic (503) 243-1940
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