[GRASS-user] ArcGIS, GRASS and employability

Tue Sep 19 02:47:50 EDT 2006

Hi,
'Grass GIS is not known outside Newcastle.. External
examiner'.
This is a typical approach from those who belong or
support business empires, of commercial GIS. 
Go through the wonderful amount of presentations on
FOSS GIS including GRASS from the latest FOSS4G
workshop website. 
http://www.foss4g2006.org/

In UK one of the very prominent users and code
developers of GRASS GIS, is 
Dr Mark Lake
Institute of Archaeology
University College London
U are not alone in UK.
So, Dr Saderson, do keep up the good work.
Ravi
--- Jachym Cepicky <jachym.cepicky at centrum.cz> wrote:

> Hallo,
> 
> imho university should be here in general to teach
> principals. Not to
> prepare the students for the praxis.
> 
> GRASS is perfect didactical tool, it makes you
> understand, how it works
> and what steps must be done befor you get your
> result.
> 
> GRASS has also that advantage, that it can be used
> be the students on
> their computers (pc/mac), so they can work at home.
> 
> Just my two cents
> 
> Jachym
> 
> On Mon, Sep 18, 2006 at 04:58:49PM +0000, Roy
> Sanderson wrote:
> > Hello Tom, Michael and others
> > 
> > Thanks for your comments on this.  I was somewhat
> baffled by the external
> > examiner's report, as student feedback had been
> very positive on the
> > course.  Perhaps he thought GRASS was only used in
> education?  I did
> > demonstrate a few ArGIS features to the students
> at the end of the course,
> > but it was noticable that only one of them wanted
> to use it when it came to
> > their projects, and the rest stuck to GRASS.
> > 
> > Best wishes
> > Roy
> > 
> > At 10:43 18/09/06 -0400, Thomas Adams wrote:
> > >Michael,
> > >
> > >Completely agree. One might also go to 
> > >http://grass.itc.it/community/index.php to see
> the international use of 
> > >GRASS GIS and to http://gmt.soest.hawaii.edu/ for
> the use of GMT, which 
> > >many GRASS GIS users also use extensively. The
> assertion that GRASS is 
> > >not used outside of Newcastle is an openly
> inflammatory and contentious 
> > >remark and clearly not grounded in fact.
> > >
> > >So, one would also presume that UNIX, Linux, and
> MacOS X should not be 
> > >used in an academic setting for the same reason,
> that is, that 
> > >MS-Windows dominates, so
?
> > >
> > >Tom
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >Michael Barton wrote:
> > >> Roy,
> > >>
> > >> You'll probably get a lot of response on this,
> but I'll add a bit here. In
> > >> terms of not being known outside Newcastle,
> take a look at the
> > >> user/developer map on the GRASS web site. I'm
> in Arizona, USA--quite a ways
> > >> from Newcastle--and we are using GRASS in
> research projects and teaching it
> > >> to students here.
> > >>
> > >> Because many companies use ESRI products, it
> will be useful for students
> > >> seeking employment in those companies to have
> some familiarity with ESRI
> > >> software. However, they will go farther if they
> have a good
> > understanding of
> > >> GIS concepts, and especially how to use GIS to
> solve problems, than simply
> > >> the techniques of how to push which buttons.
> People who actually know what
> > >> to use GIS for, can get up to speed in
> different systems pretty fast. So an
> > >> overview of different software, including ESRI,
> might be a good addition to
> > >> a course that uses GRASS to more effectively
> teach how to use GIS.
> > >>
> > >> Also, those who are employed in places where
> the results are more important
> > >> than the software used might do better with
> GRASS--e.g. those focusing on
> > >> research or in consulting.
> > >>
> > >> Michael
> > >>
> > >> __________________________________________
> > >> Michael Barton, Professor of Anthropology
> > >> School of Human Evolution & Social Change
> > >> Center for Social Dynamics & Complexity
> > >> Arizona State University
> > >>
> > >> phone: 480-965-6213
> > >> fax: 480-965-7671
> > >> www: http://www.public.asu.edu/~cmbarton
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>   
> > >>> From: Roy Sanderson
> <R.A.Sanderson at newcastle.ac.uk>
> > >>> Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2006 08:51:47 +0000
> > >>> To: <grassuser at grass.itc.it>
> > >>> Subject: [GRASS-user] ArcGIS, GRASS and
> employability
> > >>>
> > >>> Hello
> > >>>
> > >>> Last spring I converted a short course I give
> to some of our MSc students,
> > >>> from ArcGIS 9 to GRASS 6.0.  Whilst the
> students had had no prior exposure
> > >>> to GIS (or indeed Linux), it was obvious that
> they progressed through
> > their
> > >>> work much more rapidly and learnt more in
> terms of the fundamental
> > >>> concepts, and I was pleased with the overall
> results.
> > >>>
> > >>> However, the External Examiner's report for
> the MSc has criticised the
> > >>> change to GRASS, stating that "it isn't known
> outside Newcastle" and that
> > >>> it is harming the students' employment
> prospects on graduation.  The
> > >>> examiner is clearly wanting me to go back to
> using something like
> > ArcGIS or
> > >>> MapInfo in the GIS module.
> > >>>
> > >>> It would be useful if anyone could provide me
> with a few facts/figures on
> > >>> the use of GRASS outside of academia,
> especially in any large commercial
> > >>> companies etc.
> > >>>
> > >>> Many thanks
> > >>> Roy
> > >>>
> >
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >>> -------
> > >>> Roy Sanderson
> > >>> Institute for Research on Environment and
> Sustainability
> > >>> Devonshire Building
> > >>> University of Newcastle
> > >>> Newcastle upon Tyne
> > >>> NE1 7RU
> > >>> United Kingdom
> > >>>
> > >>> Tel: +44 191 246 4835
> > >>> Fax: +44 191 246 4999
> > >>>
> > >>> http://www.ncl.ac.uk/environment/
> > >>> r.a.sanderson at newcastle.ac.uk
> > >>>
> > >>>
> >
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>     
> > >>
> > >> _______________________________________________
> > >> grassuser mailing list
> > >> grassuser at grass.itc.it
> > >> http://grass.itc.it/mailman/listinfo/grassuser
> > >>   
> > >
> > >
> > >-- 
> > >Thomas E Adams
> > >National Weather Service
> > >Ohio River Forecast Center
> > >1901 South State Route 134
> > >Wilmington, OH 45177
> > >
> > >EMAIL:	thomas.adams at noaa.gov
> > >
> > >VOICE:	937-383-0528
> > >FAX:	937-383-0033
> > >
> > >
> > >
> 
=== message truncated ===>
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