[postgis-users] Help in Defending FOSS SDI

[Mark Cave-Ayland]

Ravi wrote:

> Some so called SDI experts feel that FOSS SDI cannot perform at-par with
> Proprietary SDI.
> Please provide examples to fight a case from an Indian state which 
> swears by Free and Open Source Software. We can never expect a better 
> level playing field.
> 
> Kerala - India
> 
> Here are some excerpts from a document that has false claims supporting 
> Proprietary Software.
> 
> However, it is worthwhile to mention here that the OSS (Open Source 
> Software) does not match the advanced functionalities of many of the 
> commercial (proprietory) software that is in the market. Image 
> processing and analysis capabilities of the open source software is not 
> comparable to the commercial software when one require to carry out 
> advanced data manipulations, image fusion, 3D modeling, 
> ortho-correction, auto-georeferencing, stereo-image/air photo 
> interpretation (PROBABLY REFERRING TO GRASS), advanced geospatial 
> analysis etc., In such cases, certain proprietary software become an 
> integral part of the Spatial Data Infrastructures, which can not be 
> avoided. At a later stage the some of the proprietary software need to 
> be purchased.

The issue I see with this paragraph is that it is merely handwaving and 
FUD; I don't see any specifics given. In particular, I would ask for the 
specific processes and workflows they are referring to (in particular 
which software/plugins they are using) so that you can point them 
towards an equivalent OSS solution.

> It is a well known fact that web portal that run with OSS are neither 
> OGC-compliant nor
> interoperable(PostGIS and Webservers to react). At the present juncture 
> it is only possible to establish the KSDI Geoportal
> with the available COTS enterprise software.

This is just completely wrong; PostGIS is based upon the OGC SFS for 
storing geometries and we have worked hard to ensure that it meets the 
standard in all regards. In terms of other applications, servers like 
Mapserver and Geoserver speak standards-compliant WMS/WFS/KML so again I 
am amazed that they are making this claim.

If they are looking for ex-commercial software, there is always 
Autodesk's open-sourced MapGuide application. Or, if they really do want 
to use proprietary software in the stack somewhere, then ArcGIS Server 
supports PostGIS from version 9.3.

> This is a case that has the potential to set trends in India. Hope to 
> have a good discussion such that we can sum it up and present at a 
> meeting being conducted on August 11th 2010, to settle the issue.

If the above sample is representative of the document, then you need to 
do a lot of research into debunking these false claims and the FUD 
around them. The excerpts you have provided are so full of lies that I 
can't help but feel there is a clash of commercial interest somewhere in 
this project.


ATB,

Mark.

-- 
Mark Cave-Ayland - Senior Technical Architect
PostgreSQL - PostGIS
Sirius Corporation plc - control through freedom
http://www.siriusit.co.uk
t: +44 870 608 0063

Sirius Labs: http://www.siriusit.co.uk/labs