[postgis-users] The Old Who is using PostGIS survey again?

[Paragon Corporation]

Thanks to all who have responded so far.  Keep it coming.  It is at the very
least very breathtaking to here of all the different ways people are using
PostGIS.
 
On the educational note,  that is actually one of the reasons we want to
write a book.  PostGIS seems like an ideal tool to introduce students to a
more or less unbiased view of spatial database analysis and its rather
disappointing that a lot of the education we see out there is froth with
ESRI centric training (not meaning to start an ESRI bashing war but we feel
education or at least grad/undergrad should be non-commercial oriented).
Well hopefully that is changing and it seems to be.
 
A section on Applications would be nice at least to provide people some sort
of breath of the possibilities I think.
 
Thanks,
Leo and Regina

  _____  

From: postgis-users-bounces at postgis.refractions.net
[mailto:postgis-users-bounces at postgis.refractions.net] On Behalf Of Chetan
Tiwari
Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 3:06 PM
To: PostGIS Users Discussion
Subject: Re: [postgis-users] The Old Who is using PostGIS survey again?


It would be nice to have an introductory book - it can be something I could
use in some of the classes I teach. Are you planning to have a section on
'Applications'? Looking at some of the diverse examples of how people use
PostGIS, maybe people on this list (and others) can contribute towards a
chapter or so.

To answer your questions: 



1) How you use PostGIS?


We use it extensively in a web-based environmental health surveillance
system. We've embedded kernel density estimation methods and some
environmental models in a PostGIS-based system that allows users, who may
not be experts in GIS and spatial analysis (say public health officials), to
create and analyze spatial patterns of disease outcomes, measure exposures
to environmental contaminants, and visualize some of these data using
technologies like Google Earth. 




2) What you find useful about it over anything else?


Ability to efficiently handle large datasets. Ability to create a
user-friendly interface where complex analysis tasks are embedded within
web-based, automated routines. Ties in well with other WebGIS
infrastructure. 




3) Why you think there should be any book written focused on its use and of
course if such a thing were to exist, would you buy it?



I would buy it, and possibly use it for teaching GIS programming, WebGIS
classes at the undergraduate (possibly graduate) level. 
 
Chetan


-- 
Chetan Tiwari, PhD
Assistant Professor
University of North Texas
Department of Geography
1155 Union Circle #305279
Denton, TX 76203-5017

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