[Live-demo] Re: we are running out of time to have libLAS on OSGeo-Live?

[Cameron Shorter]

Thanks Howard, comments inline:

On 02/08/11 04:30, Howard Butler wrote:
> On Jul 31, 2011, at 4:07 PM, Cameron Shorter wrote:
>
>> Howard,
>> We have some hard deadlines which we are getting very close to related to getting libLAS on OSGeo-Live.
>> We need a Quickstart ASAP.
> I was cribbing from GeoTools, something very similar in scope and intent as libLAS, which does not have a Quickstart.  Yes, libLAS has some commandline-tools, but that is not its primary focus.  It's focus is for something like GRASS to use it is a data access library (available in the development version of GRASS, but I don't know if the LiveDVD version takes advantage of it yet).

Our criteria for getting an application written up on OSGeo-Live is that 
either:
1. You can run it and see it tested
2. You are a library which has graduated OSGeo incubation.
This criteria is in place as a demonstrated commitment to quality. If 
the project has not gone through the incubation process, then we have at 
least proven that it can be installed, and users can see it working.

>> . Cameron Comment: Please include a suitable graphic. In this case, probably a pretty picture of LiDAR data over a coverage? Maybe something like this: http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/911/images/lg-map-lidar1.jpg . Make sure you have rights to publish the image.
> I do not want to give any impression that libLAS is a LiDAR exploitation or visualization tool.  Putting a picture of a rendered elevation model or some such visualization on the quickstart might give that impression.  libLAS is water pipes and plumbing, not Trevi Fountain :)

We have an image on each page in order to draw people's eye in. It is a 
common practice on marketing documents, and doesn't need to be directly 
related to the text. Marketing documents often have pictures of smiling 
people looking at a white board.

I note that you have a logo. Can you please also include a picture which 
ideally is related to the libLAS document. (hence my suggestion of a 
LIDAR picture, but I'm happy for you to suggest something different)

>
>> .. Cameron Comment: Note that many (most?) readers won't know what LIDAR, or ASPRS LAS is. They also might not be connected to the internet, so won't be able to follow links you provide. Hence, please add a sentence or two here explaining what they are and why you would use it.
> Can one call oneself a GIS practitioner these days an not know what LiDAR is?
Many (most?) people looking at this DVD will not be GIS practitioners. 
They may be software developers are setting up a web mapping website, 
are familiar with WMS and Google Maps, and have been asked to see if 
there is anything else on this DVD worth investing in.

At conferences, I am continually surprised by the simple language I need 
to fall back on.

> I will commit some of the text from libLAS' getting started document into the quickstart.
Thanks, I see you have done this already.
>    This seems like such an unfortunate fork of my docs though.  It's too bad we can't figure out a way to just suck in libLAS' sphinx docs directly and use those.  Next time, I guess.
Yes, sounds like a good idea. I'm open to suggestions.
> Howard


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Cameron Shorter
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