[Live-demo] Re: gdal overview - what image should we use? and review please.

[Frank Warmerdam]

On 11-02-05 06:27 AM, Cameron Shorter wrote:
> I've written up an Overview for GDAL. I'm not very familiar with GDAL, so would
> appreciate it if someone who has used GDAL could review my text and confirm:
> 1. That what I've written is clear and understandable
> 2. Is technically accurate
>
> I'd also appreciate suggestions regarding what image we should use to accompany
> the text.
> Can we think of something better than a screen grab of a command line call of
> one of the gdal scripts?
>
>
>   GDAL/OGR¶
>
>
>     Transformation Library¶
>
> Geospatial Data Abstraction Library (GDAL/OGR) provides command-line utilities
> to translate and process a wide range of raster and vector geospatial data formats.
>
> The utilities are based upon a cross platform, C++ library, accessible via
> numerous programming languages. As a library, it presents a single abstract
> data model to the calling application for all supported formats.
>
> GDAL/OGR is the most widely used geospatial data access library. It provides
> the primary data access engine for many applications including MapServer,
> GRASS, QGIS, and OpenEV. It is also utilized by packages such as OSSIM, Cadcorp
> SIS, FME, Google Earth, VTP, Thuban, ILWIS, MapGuide and ArcGIS.

I would suggest replacing the above with:

"""
GDAL/OGR

Geospatial Data Abstraction Library (GDAL/OGR) is a cross platform C++ 
translator library for raster and vector geospatial data formats that is 
released under an X/MIT style Open Source license by the Open Source Geospatial 
Foundation. As a library, it presents a single abstract data model to the 
calling application for all supported formats. It also comes with a variety of 
useful commandline utilities for data translation and processing.

GDAL supports over 50 raster formats, and OGR over 20 vector formats.

It provides the primary data access engine for many applications including 
MapServer, GRASS, QGIS, and OpenEV. It is also utilized by packages such as 
OSSIM, Cadcorp SIS, FME, Google Earth, VTP, Thuban, ILWIS, MapGuide and ArcGIS. 
GDAL/OGR is the most widely used geospatial data access library.
""""

The suggested test comes straight from the Description section of the
GDAL/OGR info sheet:

   http://www.osgeo.org/gdal

I prefer it to the original text which (IMHO) emphasizes the utilities
over the core library.  I also don't like the title "Transformation
Library".  To me that suggests coordinate transformation rather than
geospatial data translation.

I do not have a suggested screen shot - we ran into the same issue with
the info sheet.  There is a logo for the project:

   http://www.gdal.org/gdalicon.png

which is also available in svg at:

   http://svn.osgeo.org/gdal/trunk/gdal/data/GDALLogoColor.svg

Best regards,
-- 
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I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam at pobox.com
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and watch the world go round - Rush    | Geospatial Programmer for Rent