Need for linux GPS software?

[Rich Shepard]

  I use GPS quite frequently to collect data for mapping and analyses in a
GIS. Since we have migrated our computing environment to linux, the GPS
(and, to some degree the GIS) remain our only Microsoft software. More and
more of the GIS work is moving to GRASS, but printed output is still a
limitation.

  I would like to find out how many other folks use a GPS receiver or would
like to use GPS data in their work. In other words, is there any market for
GPS mission planning/differential correction software which runs on linux?
What about integrated GPS/GIS software? I see this approach as more of
interest to the business community, but I'm curious about the need. I, for
one, would like to have my GPS software run natively in linux rather than in
a virtual machine running win98. And I know one company who will provide a
linux-based solution if there's a market for their effort.

  On a related topic, are there folks on this list who are using GRASS for
business purposes? For example, deciding where to place a new retail outlet
considering potential customers and proximity of competitors? How about
doing natural neighborhood analyses for business purposes?

  For what it's worth, I don't sell any such software, but I certainly
appreciate that there's a market out there which would use these solutions.
I guess that's one advantage of being in the science business. :-)

Thanks for your input and thoughts,

Rich

Dr. Richard B. Shepard, President

                       Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc. (TM)
              Making environmentally-responsible mining happen. (SM)         
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