[mapguide-users] Linux and raster support?

[Frank Warmerdam]

Jason Birch wrote:
> Frank, is this because of license incompatibilities?

Jason,

One issue is license compatibility.  The other is the size/complexity
of including these components in the standard build.

> I have a feeling that supporting these filetypes will be critical for many
> MapGuide installations.  They will be for mine.
 >
> Would it be possible to document the method for including ECW/MrSID into
> the build or, better yet, have the provider support those formats if some
> kind of external dependancy is in place, so that end users can download the
> FDO provider, and then either independantly build or download (from some
> other place) the files required for ECW/MrSID support?

Yes, I think providing some reasonably detailed instructions would be
appropriate.  Though to be honest, we only provide very rough details on
the GDAL site for regular GDAL developers, so in some ways it seems funny
to provide more detailed instructions for those using FDO/Mapguide.

As you suggest, GDAL formats can also be built as plugins.  So MrSID and
ECW (and various other optional formats like HDF, NetCDF, JPEG2000) can
be build as plugins and added to an existing setup if necessary.  There
are a few complexities around this approach too.

> Ideally, it would be better to push ERMapper and LizardTech to release
> their reader libraries under lgpl or something less restrictive.

Well, that is a bit like the tail wagging the dog.  But I will say that
both companies have gone out of their ways to make their SDKs usable
to open source users.  In ERMappers case they have attempted to release
their SDK under a license that is GPL compatible, and that includes unlimited
read and write support though I think there are a few concerns still about
details.  In Lizardtech's case they only offer binary versions of their
proprietary SDK, but for read-only mode they have made quite an effort to
make their license acceptable for use with open source projects.

So I don't see the issues as fundamental.  It is mostly a matter of smoothing
out the configuration management so it is fairly easy for MapGuide users to
include support for these formats.

Best regards,
-- 
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I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam at pobox.com
light and sound - activate the windows | http://pobox.com/~warmerdam
and watch the world go round - Rush    | President OSGeo, http://osgeo.org