Professor - <br>
<br>
"Nothing worthwhile was ever easy"<br>
<br>
Hang in there. if you managed to get grass and Linux installed
*and* running in 3 days, then i'd say your off to a good start!<br><br>
As someone recommended in previous post, stick with FC4 to take the
road of least resistance, unless you want to be a pioneer in working
through new release issues with the developers (which i'm sure is
encouraged). I've installed GRASS from source on FC4, and would
be glad to help, although i'm certainly not an expert. If you
work with the community in posting errors and resolving problems, the
rewards will be plentiful and favor both parties involved. It's
one of the ways open source software gains strength.<br>
<br>
Your situation is special and very important: having the ability
to teach GIS on an open source platform to students who will go forth
and use GRASS in their careers. They will in turn help use, and
possibly even contribute to, the evolution of GRASS. Not everyone has
the capability to show the masses this amazing alternative to
commercial GIS and OS.<br>
<br>
"I am certain it has many advantages over commercially available packages but it must be robust enough to actually trust."<br>
<br>
the robustness (reliability) you seek is there, as well as the
advantages. But first the system (Linux & GRASS) must be
running correctly for that attribute to be applicable. I have to
use ESRI software (due to situational circumstances), that is $14K USD
retail last i was told (that price doesnt include the raster analysis
module). I have been using it for over 10 years, and lived
through the abandonment of the UNIX world command line (around 2000),
and software re-write to windows @rcMap, which in my opinion is the
antonym of robust; so much to the point that i use the command line
workstation version to come as close to robustness as i can in a
windows environment for data creation and modification. @rcMap is
the reason I sought out other GIS software, and I couldnt be more
pleased to have entered the world of GRASS and experience GIS the way
it was meant to be.<br>
<br>
Help abounds. just keep asking questions.<br>
<br>
Best of luck, and keep the faith. <br>
Mark<br>
<br>