[Zoo-discuss] About FOSS4G 2009 and ZOO Project

[Venkatesh Raghavan]

Markus Neteler wrote:
...

> I just thought about a way to facilitate the connection
> in order to avoid "system()" calls and the like this aren't
> very stable. A kind of wrapper will be needed and
> a detailed analysis of how PyWPS is doing things is
> important. Also 52N has a GRASS-WPS interface,
> and Soeren is discussing this with one of the authors.

Great that 52N has a GRASS-WPS interface now.
Many at FOSS4G-2009 asked why do we not choose to
use 52N or how was ZOO different from PyWPS.

My understanding is that 52N does it stuff using
Java and PyWPS does its in Python.

Firsty, the possibility of writing code in pure C or C++, PHP,
python, Java, Fortran and in fact any compiler (or Runtime
environment, if I am not mistaken, Gerald) and running it
as WPS is what makes ZOO powerful.

I think that multi-language support is important, especially
after hearing Andy Pitman's talk in Sydney and learning
that in the Climate Change research, Fortran still rules.
CC folks who study change are simple not going to change
the programming language and they need not do so even for
a billion dollar funding.

Secondly, I think possibility of loading dynamic (shared)
libraries in the ZOO kernel allows developers to access
these libraries. Presently, ZOO is doing GDAL/OGR stuff
by loading the shared libraries into the ZOO kernel.
...
> Yes, great. BTW: Sexante is now able to run GRASS (to
> be published soon). So you can have GRASS in gvSIG via Sextante.

Great! they were talking about it in Cape Town and
did it by they time we walked to Sydney. Also the
same story for ZOO.
...
> Myself, I first have to learn more about all this :)

Me too, Markus. Frank Wamerdam or Gerald should enlighten
me so that I can attain instant Nirvana!

Cheers!

Venka