[GRASSLIST:103] Re: Considering replacing ESRI

[Alexander Pucher]

Absolutely right,

Many people think like 'GIS = ESRI', like 'Red Hat = Linux' or 'Database 
= Oracle'. 
The point is to understand the principles and objectives of GIS, not 
ArcInfo or GRASS. If you know what to do, pick the tool you prefer!

In my field of interest - GIS-enhanced webmapping - a combined framework 
of GRASS/PostGIS/UMN MapServer does a perfect job.

Evaluate your prerequisits and needs to the system. Keep asking 
questions in the various OpenSource GIS/mapping mailinglists on required 
features and if they exist. You will see that  (nearly) everything is 
available. Only the approach is different to a major application 
framework like the ESRI suite with all its components. With  the 
available OpenSource tools, you don't get the  single 
,"Microsoft/Word"-style like GUI to work with. Still what count is the 
outcome, not the nice buttons :-)

I still ask myself, what can ArcInfo do for me that GRASS can't, what 
can Oracle Spatial do for me that PostGIS can't, what can ArcIMS do for 
me that the UMN MapServer can't? And if I recognise some features, is it 
really worth the price?

regards,
alex.
________________________________________________________

Departement of Geography and Regional Research
University of Vienna
Cartography and GIS
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Virtual Map Forum: http://www.gis.univie.ac.at/vmf
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Andrew wrote:

> I am a self-taught, non-geology/geography person (physics is my 
> "trade"). I began learning GIS from the ground up without guidance in 
> 1995 to assist a Geology Prof in the school where I was an adjunct. I 
> have used IDRISI, Xmap8, Grass, ArcView/ArcGIS and a lot of associated 
> tools and have had considerable time and opportunity to onsider the 
> "commercial package" option. It is ALWAYS possible to provide the 
> functionality you need, but you have to understand the techniques 
> well-enough to evaluste the outcomes. You also need a scripter or 
> coder around who can do the conversions and batching, etc, that are 
> inevitable when the tools) available don't quite do what you want.
>
> ESRI is analogous to Microsoft if GIS suites are regarded as spatial 
> data OS's. It was created with huge investments of time and energy 
> according to a single philosophy of analysis in an effort to provide a 
> single modular interface for this kind of work. How much of Windows, 
> Office, etc do you really take advantage of when you purchase the 
> latest and greatest version (simply to remain "current", whatever that 
> means with software versioning/patching).?
>
> When you know what you need and you know what is available you can 
> work (almost) for free.
>
> seeker at eventhorizon.ca wrote:
>
>> Folks,
>>
>>     First of all I need to let you know that I am not currently 
>> working in the
>>     GIS field.  I do however support the Unix systems that are 
>> currently used
>>     by the people in our GIS area.
>>
>>     I certainly don't understand the complexities of our GIS area but 
>> I can
>>     see that we have a huge investment in ESRI products:
>>
>>     ArcInfo
>>     ArcView
>>     ArcSDE
>>     ArcIMS
>>
>>     These products are tied to an Oracle backend.
>>
>>     My question is this:  Is GRASS able to replace any of the above 
>> listed products
>>     and if so has anyone ever made this type of move in the past.  I 
>> can see
>>     huge cost savings here if it is possible.
>>
>>     I would appreciate any feedback.  I am trying to determine if it is
>>     worthwhile for me to explore Open Source alternatives for our GIS 
>> area so
>>     if anyone can offer some insight it would really help me out.
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> -- 
>> CJR
>>
>>
>
>
>