[Live-demo] OSGeo wiki or google spread sheet?

[Cameron Shorter]

Yes,
On a philosophical level, I would much prefer to use Open Source wikis, 
with all data in one location.
However, since FOSS4G we moved away from wikis for handling tables because:
* 10 sec updates took 5 minutes in a wiki
* We were getting many errors in wiki tables because people were 
accidently not lining rows and columns up correctly in wikis (myself 
being one of the worst offenders)
* There was a resistance from the general public to update wiki tables 
as the learning curve was too great
* Ie, we were not collecting all the data we wanted

The added bonus is that we can add formulas like "Sum()" to get totals 
of data easily with spreadsheets. (I tend to use the powerful features 
of spreadsheets a lot, like vlookup() which can be used for powerful 
analysis quite easily)

Hamish wrote:
>> --quote--
>> Spreadsheets are so much easy to manipulate and insert
>> formlas in than wiki tables.
>> --quote end--
>>     
>
> Judit wrote:
>   
>> This is the answer to my question. Easy enough.
>>     
>
> (except of course that we have little to no need for formulas)
>
>   
>> Well, I am not too happy but I can live with it. Just always make
>> sure that tables are editable without google account please.
>>     
>
> ... that leaves it open to being spammed & defeats the purpose of
> having a change history.
>
>
> Granted mediawiki tables are a complete PITA compared to a real
> spreadsheet, but for my 2c that is outweighed by the benefit of keeping
> everything under one roof (single login) and not depending on a 3rd
> party sole-supplier (whoever they might be).
>
> A table is not the same thing as a spreadsheet though, and in the rare
> occasion that a real spreadsheet is needed, sparing use of google docs
> is not a bad solution for that.
>
>
> wrt disk space usage, fwiw we already have a column for it in the package
> listing google spreadsheet, we just have to fill it in with better data.
>
>
> shrug,
> Hamish
>
>
>
>       
>
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>   


-- 
Cameron Shorter
Geospatial Solutions Manager
Tel: +61 (0)2 8570 5050
Mob: +61 (0)419 142 254

Think Globally, Fix Locally
Geospatial Solutions enhanced with Open Standards and Open Source
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