[mapserver-dev] RE: Re: GeoServer superseeding MapServer in Europe?

[Lime, Steve D (DNR)]

Thanks for the feedback Mark. Our website has been in transition for awhile and I think we've finally settled on a maintenance
approach that will last. Perhaps now we can look at the very changes you suggest. I've started an examples section patterned
after the OpenLayers approach but it has languished...

I'm not as enamored with a user gallery though. We had one earlier and was impossible to maintain. Personally I favor learning
by example.

Steve

From: mapserver-dev-bounces at lists.osgeo.org [mailto:mapserver-dev-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of Mark Volz
Sent: Thursday, July 08, 2010 12:57 PM
To: mapserver-dev at lists.osgeo.org
Subject: [mapserver-dev] Re: GeoServer superseeding MapServer in Europe?


Hello,

As a comparatively new user to Mapserver I just thought I would put in my two cents.

I think the main reasons why one would chose one product over another is due to performance, features, and ease of use.   For most applications the performance between Mapserver and GeoServer appears comparable.   Second, GeoServer has some interesting features, however both Mapserver and Geoserver has a decent feature set.  This leaves us at ease of use...

When I first tried out Mapserver a few years ago I searched for documentation for installing Mapserver, which lead me to "compiling on Win32."  Needless to say I quickly became frustrated and lost trying to find all the correct dependencies on different websites.  I soon decided that it was simply too much work bother with and gave up.  Later on I had found the MS4W project, which to any new user is very easy to use as they only have to click apache-start.bat to get mapserver up and running.

Next, I think any new user is interested in finding an all inclusive application that helps them build a mapping site, that way users can take the example application and plug in their own data.  Mapserver has excellent documentation and examples for the Mapfile itself, however besides the one simple map on the main page there are no examples of applications.  I think the MS4W website does a better job at distributing applications such as GeoMoose, and PMapper that people can download, plug in their own data and then publish the site to the web.  Perhaps people might be more intrested in using mapserver if there was a "Gallary" that allowed new potential users the ability to see what Mapserver can really do.

To summarize here are some things that I think would attract new users:

-Make the link to MS4W or FGS more prevalent.

-Add a Gallery that links to "Easy to set up applications" such as GeoMoose, PMapper.

-If possible include some of the dependencies for compiling mapserver on the website so people do not need to sift around several websites.

Mark Volz

GIS Specialist

Lyon County, MN

Message: 1

Date: Wed, 07 Jul 2010 13:58:16 -0400

From: Daniel Morissette <dmorissette at mapgears.com>

Subject: [mapserver-dev] GeoServer superseeding MapServer in Europe?

To: 'MapServer Dev List' <mapserver-dev at lists.osgeo.org>

Message-ID: <4C34C038.9050204 at mapgears.com>

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Hi Bart,

I saw that you tweeted the following this morning:

"bartvdeijnden: #Geoserver is superseding #Mapserver at least here in Europe and I am starting to switch mentally as well (as an early adopter of Mapserver)"

Would you care to please elaborate on the reasons you see for this, and perhaps guide us on what we can do to help this situation?

I can't imagine that the slower pace of new developments and releases of the last year or two is the only reason for that (or is it?). Your feedback and thoughts would be much welcome.

Daniel

--

Daniel Morissette

http://www.mapgears.com/
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/mapserver-dev/attachments/20100708/a2187bf3/attachment-0001.html