[GRASS-user] setting-up a FOSS GIS lab

[Benjamin Ducke]

If you are going for a thin client setup, you definitely
want to consider NoMachine NX (or the FreeNX variety).
These use a _very_ efficient compression scheme that
allows you to get great responsiveness and graphics
throughput on the network even with limited bandwidth.

A server with a quadcore CPU and plenty of RAM should
be able to handle the task.

However, with just 5 workplaces in the lab, why not use
full PC clients with local Linux OS and apps installed?
Once these are setup, they should not be hard or
time-intensive to maintain and you will get much more
computing power at each workplace. With this setting,
you could do with inexpensive hardware for both the
server and clients.

A good idea for GIS work is using a dual monitor setup
or at least widescreen displays.

Benjamin

maning sambale wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I am a new instructor on Basic GIS in a small college in the Philippines.
> We find it hard to request for a dedicated GIS lab for student to
> tinker around.  In last term's basic GIS course, we used the
> foss4g2006 lausanne live-CD for our exercise using the schools generic
> computer lab.  The live-cd works just fine, we basically set-up the
> samba server so that students can access Philippine datasets for the
> exercises.
> 
> For this term, were trying out the ominiverdi live-cd.
> 
> With constant lobbying, I finally persuaded the department to explore
> setting-up a dedicated GIS lab.  No assurance on when and how will
> this initiative will go through, but I was asked to write a proposal
> on how do we plan to implement this project.
> 
> I would like to ask this list on experiences in setting up a GIS lab
> for students (both for undergrad & graduate course).  Initially, I
> have the following on my mind:
> 
> hardware: 1 server, 5 thin clients
> OS: Linux LTSP route (debian-based)
> GIS applications:  OSGEO stack (GRASS, QGIS, Mapserver)
> databse and stats: R, postgesql
> other apps: standard office applications (openoffice, firefox, pdf reader)
> online course management: moodle
> 
> Any ideas on how we should go about this?  One thing thats bugging me
> is, can LTSP setup handle GIS computing-intensive tasks using the thin
> clients.
> 
> Apart from preparing the proposal, I am also looking for sponsors or
> where we can submit the proposal for possible funding.  I know ESRI
> has this "altruistic" facility to schools.  But I also want the lab as
> advocating for software freedom (as in speech) philosophy.  Any
> org/institution we can ask for help?
> 
> Any ideas would be helpful.
> 
> cheers,
> 
> maning
> 

-- 
Benjamin Ducke, M.A.
Archäoinformatik
(Archaeoinformation Science)
Institut für Ur- und Frühgeschichte
(Inst. of Prehistoric and Historic Archaeology)
Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel
Johanna-Mestorf-Straße 2-6
D 24098 Kiel
Germany

Tel.: ++49 (0)431 880-3378 / -3379
Fax : ++49 (0)431 880-7300
www.uni-kiel.de/ufg