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<TITLE>Re: [GRASS5] Let's revive GRASS</TITLE>
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<FONT FACE="Skia, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN DEFANGED_STYLE='font-size:12.0px'>Mahmoud,<BR>
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I’m not sure what version of GRASS y0u are using, but both current versions (5.4 and 5.7) come with a comprehensive tcltk menu that gives users GUI access to all GRASS commands. Also, GRASS 5.7 DOES have a quite nice toolbar, thanks to Radim Blazek, with icon buttons (and mouse-over help) for the most commonly used functions. I agree that GRASS and GIS in general can benefit from greater usability. However, modern versions of GRASS already have the features you are asking for. IMHO, it is at least as easy to use as any high-end commercial GIS you can buy for a LOT more money (You can get a nice Mac, Linux, or Windows workstation with GRASS for the cost of equivalent commercial GIS software WITHOUT the computer). This is helping to ‘revive’ GRASS. However, it is necessary for users (especially of older versions) to know about the new developments. Check the current GRASS website (<a href="http://grass.itc.it).">http://grass.itc.it).</a><BR>
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To visually show you (and others who may not be aware of the current developments in GRASS) the user interface, I’ve attached a screen shot of GRASS 5.7 showing the GIS Manager and one display monitor. Shown in the GIS Manager are: main menu, with tearoff cascading submenus, toolbar, map display and overlay panel, and a map layer control panel for a vector layer. The vector display control panel shows controls for feature type, labeling, iconography, color, and some of the attribute query tools (sql selection box not shown).<BR>
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Cheers,<BR>
Michael<BR>
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On 11/17/04 1:28 PM, "Mahmoud Salama" <mahmoud_grassgis@yahoo.com> wrote:<BR>
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</SPAN></FONT><BLOCKQUOTE><FONT FACE="Skia, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN DEFANGED_STYLE='font-size:12.0px'>Dear Developers:<BR>
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To make our grass more popular we must make it more easier to be used . in this regard why we didn't developed a toolbar for example . it is a small thing but it will add more power to grass.<BR>
secondly: the notion of making every command is a separate program is a truly barren and consuming the time and the effort....as a result GRASS became a difficult software to deal with... in comparison with the other softwares.<BR>
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we don't need the people to hear about grass ..then use it for a while .. then leave it .<BR>
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Let's make useful things in this regard...we can commence it by making a toolbar. <BR>
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faithfully,<BR>
Mahmoud Salama<BR>
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C. Michael Barton, Professor of Anthropology<BR>
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