[mapserver-users] What is the importance of a good Video Card ?

[Puneet Kishor]

Dave,

To clarify and add to what Greg is saying... 

Mapserver is a server side software... there is no rendering to be seen...
Mapserver makes an image and either dumps it in a tmp directory from where
it is served up, or sends it directly to the calling program (standard
output). Video card would be important for the user who is browsing the
Mapserver website... because the user's computer would have to download and
actually render the image.

As far as Mapserver is concerned, you could make it headless, that is
without any monitor at all, if your OS permitted it.

Get a fast server with gobs of ram... you can assemble good configs for real
cheap... I recently priced one for kicks... a dual PIII 1 Ghz with 1.5 Gb
RAM and a 40 Gb hd for about $1300. Be happy.

pk/

--
Puneet Kishor 
pkishor at geoanalytics.com
www.geoanalytics.com

GeoAnalyics, Inc.
1716 Fordem Ave
Madison WI 53704


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Greg Mader [mailto:gmader at GeoAnalytics.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2001 3:56 PM
> To: 'Dave Howlett '; 'mapserver-users at lists.gis.umn.edu '
> Subject: RE: [mapserver-users] What is the importance of a good Video
> Card ?
> 
> 
>  Hi Dave,
> 
> I do not believe that MapServer uses the video card at all.  
> Here is why:
> MapServer is using the GD library to construct the images, 
> and then it sends
> these to a directory location for the server to send.  There 
> is no rendering
> for the video card.
> 
> If I am wrong on this, I would appreciate the details,
> 
> Good Luck,
> 
> Greg
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dave Howlett
> To: mapserver-users at lists.gis.umn.edu
> Sent: 7/25/01 11:19 AM
> Subject: [mapserver-users] What is the importance of a good 
> Video Card?
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I'm just specing out the hardware requirements to put 
> togeather a server
> running MapServer etc. I'm trying to do this on the cheap and 
> the server
> will initially just be a development server.
> 
> I'm wondering what the importance of a good video card is 
> when MapServer
> renders maps. Does Mapserver utilize the video card for this?? If it
> doesn't then I can go real cheap on this aspect of my system. If it
> does, are there other considerations in selecting a good card besides
> for the amount of memory?
> 
> Thanks in Advance!
> 
> Dave
>