[GRASS-user] Linux Journal features GRASS GIS

[Benjamin Ducke]

Dear All,

This month's edition of the Amerian Linux Journal
(www.linuxjournal.com) features an article on GRASS.

Overall, I would say the article does a good job
of introducing potential new users to GRASS.

However, while reading it, I realised that two
conceptual problems remain that new users might
struggle with:

1. The role of the PERMAMENT mapset remains
hard to grasp (the article wrongly suggests that
this should be the default mapset to log into).

2. The GUI does not speak the same language as
the CLI when it comes to the use of the terms
"map", "layer" and "monitor".

The first issue could be addressed by displaying
a warning of the kind "Do you really want to work
in the PERMANENT mapset" when a first-time login
attempt is made.

The second issue requires some consideration of
how "map" and "layer" are used in different ways
at the moment. Traditionally, a "map" is a GRASS
raster or vector dataset. In the GUI, what used to
be a "monitor" is now called "Map Display", whereas
what used to be "maps" is now called "Map layers"
(and the associated window title is "Layer Manager").
Novice users might stumble over this when they
discover the vector modules' "layer=" option and/or
any single-input module's "map=" option.

Also:
- The window title "Layer Manager" is somewhat
of a misnomer, since this is really the main window
and does a lot more than just managing a layer list.

- Using the location name as right-hand part of the
"Map Display" window title suggests that there could be
multiple locations per GRASS session (as there can be
multiple "Map Display" windows), which is misleading
(at least for languages that use left-to-right writing).

To bring back consistency, some review of terminology
across CLI and GUI seems in order. Since it seems to
me that it is easiest to change some strings in the
GUI, I would suggest something like this:

"Layer Manager" = "GRASS GIS - location (filename.gxw)"

"Map Display x" = "GRASS GIS - location (Monitor x)"

"Map layers" = "Maps"

"Display x" = "Monitor x"

Best,

Ben


-- 
Dr. Benjamin Ducke, M.A.
{*} Geospatial Consultant
{*} GIS Developer

   benducke at fastmail.fm