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Which Open Source GIS?

posted by Satri on Wednesday January 25, @04:55PM   Printer-friendly   Email story  Permalink  Trackback URI  Slashdotthis  Diggthis  Del.icio.us
from the choices-and-decisions dept.
Ask Slashgeo GIS
I'd like your opinion on the different open source GIS projects. I'm looking for a GIS for our 50+ non-GIS-savvy scientists here. We use mainly use Debian. I quickly looked at GRASS, Quantum GIS, uDig, OSSIM and others. Some look great, but I can't decide which one to adopt! Here are our requirements: (a) easy enough to use for non-geospatial scientists, (b) able to read, convert and save most GIS/RS file formats, (c) allow basic data processing (e.g. reprojections, interpolations, data cropping, merging, cookie cutter, etc). For my personnal needs, I'd like the chosen GIS powerful and have a bright future. So far, I believe QGIS is my front runner. Am I doing a good choice?

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Industry: Doing ESRI-like GIS with Open Source GIS? 3 comments [+]
Spatially Adjusted links to an interesting discussion over the OSGeo-Discuss mailing list about open source careers and whether open source GIS software are up to par vs commercial GIS [Nabble link]. SA picks an insightful quote from Paul Ramsey, formerly of the Refractions fame: "My general synopsis: for server-side, for scriptability, for automation, for web-based, open source wins for most use cases, given a technically savvy user; for ad hoc, for cartographic production, for a user who is used to a point-n-click experience end to end, proprietary still wins."

Slashgeo regularly covers open source geospatial software. I copied some previous related stories below. With 52 North, the OSGeo and all the open source geospatial software such as the widely used GDAL, we can say open source geospatial software is in a healthy situation. Note that we also cover commercial geospatial software, including from ESRI. Editor's note: I usually read the OSGeo list myself and share interesting bits with our users, since I've been away from office, expect more thorough coverage after the summer. Meanwhile, there's always submissions.
Comparison of Open Source Desktop GIS Software [+]
The Free Geography Tools website links to two tables comparing open source GIS software: "Desktop GIS means thereby that we did not inlcude map web server tools or basic GIS libraries. Please be aware that this listing is probably not comprehensive." Despite missing software, the tables are quite informative. There's a recent book on desktop open source GIS and a two-years old discussion. Slashgeo regularly cover open source desktop GIS software news.
Quantum GIS Graduates OSGeo Incubation [+]
The OSGeo has announced the graduation of the open source Quantum GIS to a full OSGeo project. From the announcement: "Quantum GIS (QGIS) is a user friendly Open Source Geographic Information System (GIS) that runs on Linux, Unix, Mac OSX, and Windows. QGIS supports many vector, raster, and database formats and lets you browse and create map data on your computer. Graduating incubation includes requirements for open community operation, a responsible project governance model, code provenance and license verification and general good project operation. Graduating incubation is the OSGeo seal of approval for a project and gives potential users of the project added confidence in the viability and safety of the project." QGIS has been mentioned here several times, see also related stories below.
QGIS 0.9.1 Released [+]
I'm happy to read the OSGeo's open source Quantum GIS (QGIS) 0.9.1 was officially released a week ago. From the announcement: "This is primarily a bug fix release and includes the following key changes: 70 Bugs closed, Added locale tab to options dialog so that locale can be overridden, Cleanups and additions to GRASS tools, Python Plugin Installer for installing plugins from the PyQGIS repository, Documentation updates, Improvements for building under MSVC." I copied some of the previous stories on QGIS below.
C++ Development with the QGIS API [+]
st_0x0ef writes "Not everyone wants a full blown GIS desktop application. Sometimes you want to just have a widget inside your application that displays a map while the main goal of the application lies elsewhere. In these tutorials Tim Sutton show how to embed QGIS widget in your C++ applications to quickly develop geospatial applications." A few previous stories on Quantum GIS copied below.
Announcing the Release of Quantum GIS 0.9.0 1 comment [+]
timlinux writes "It is our great pleasure to announce the immediate availability of Quantum GIS (QGIS) Version 0.9.0. Quantum GIS is a user friendly Open Source Geographic Information System (GIS) that runs on Linux, Unix, Mac OSX, and Windows. QGIS supports vector, raster, and database formats. QGIS is licensed under the GNU General Public License. QGIS lets you browse and create map data on your computer. It supports many common spatial data formats (e.g. ESRI ShapeFile, geotiff). QGIS supports plugins to do things like display tracks from your GPS. QGIS is Open Source software and its free of cost (download here). We welcome contributions from our user community in the form of code contributions, bug fixes, bug reports, contributed documentation, advocacy and supporting other users on our mailing lists and forums. Financial contributions are also welcome. This release introduces several new features including python bindings and many additional GRASS modules. The release also includes bug fixes and stability improvements. QGIS is available is source form, and as binary executables for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and GNU/Linux. All versions can be obtained from our download page. As an open source project, we provide support for using QGIS via our mailing lists and bug tracker:
  • For general enquiries subscribe to our users mailing list.
  • For developer related enquiries subscribe to our separate developers list.
  • If you think you have found a bug, please report it using our bug tracker. When reporting bugs, please include some contact information in case we need help with replicating your issue.
" This is really great news. Here's a few links from the official Quantum GIS blog that I kept waiting for this day: a link to the workbook named "Shuffling Quantum GIS into the Open Source Software Stack", the slides from the FOSS4G 2007 presentation named "Quantum GIS - Five Years and Counting" and here's a screencast for loading data into GRASS with QGIS. See also related stories below.
SAGA GIS 2.0 Released 1 comment [+]
The Free Geo Tools blog informs us the open source SAGA GIS version 2.0 has been released. SAGA GIS is Windows-only and here the SAGA GIS official website. From this latter link: "SAGA – System for Automated Geoscientific Analyses- is a hybrid GIS software. The first objective of SAGA is to give (geo-)scientists an effective but easy learnable platform for the implementation of geoscientific methods, which is achieved by SAGA's unique Application Programming Interface (API). The second is to make these methods accessible in a user friendly way. This is mainly done by the Graphical User Interface (GUI). Together this results in SAGA's true strength: a fast growing set of geoscientifc methods, bundled in exchangeable Module Libraries." From the blog: "Version 2.0 now has a terrific 400-page manual, available at the SourceForge download page along with a copy of the demo data used in the manual."
ossimPlanet Virtual Earth 4 comments [+]
mlucas17 writes "ossimPlanet is a high performance, cross platform, open source software virtual earth. It differs from other solutions in that it is scientifically accurate, does not require pre-layering of data sets, and is written in C++. Binary installers for Windows and MacOSX and source code for all platforms are located at http://www.ossim.org.  It is built on top of OpenSceneGraph for advanced visualization and OSSIM for geo-spatial processing. OSSIM is one of the founding projects of the OSGeo foundation." This sounds really great. The website does not provide answers to some questions such as: does it supports kml? How ossimPlanet is or is not a competitor to NASA World Wind Java? Why is ossimPlanet rather unknown in the geospatial community at this moment?
QGIS 0.8 Released [+]
I've been waiting for the official announcement, but since main ports have been compiled, there you go: the multiplatform open source desktop GIS Quantum GIS 0.8 has been released! From the what's new: "* WMS support * Improved vector and attribute editing * Improved measure tools with area measuring * Attribute searching * New legend structure * Refactoring of API to allow the use of QGIS libraries in mapping applications * Improved MapServer export tool * Vector layer transparency and antialiasing * GRASS support in all platforms * Enhanced GRASS support and toolbox commands * Enhanced vector editing, including copy, cut, paste, snapping and vertex editing * Shapefile/OGR layer editing"
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  • open source gis

    (Score:3, Informative)
    by Hamish (352) on Wednesday January 25, @10:07PM (#395)
    a few things to note:

    1) Any of the open source using the GDAL/OGR libraries will have access to just about all of the spatial data formats out there. (gdal.org). Many do use it, so this need is fairly easy to fulfil.

    2) QGIS can use GRASS for backend analysis. This is the main thrust of the current native-GRASS-on-Windows work.

    see Radim's site for more, screenshots:
        http://mpa.itc.it/radim/wingrass/ [mpa.itc.it]

    This tact can combine the ease of use with back end power and an active project with a bright future. Due to the quick development though, I consider the software currently in a beta state, but that has more to do with interface stability & needing time to mature than it does with any actual bugs in the code.

    3) GRASS is the most powerful alternative (I'm biased) and is currently in the early stages of getting a new & easier to use GUI. I think professional GIS or UNIX folks would appreciate the extra power & scriptability that GRASS gives while new-to-GIS folks might appreciate the softer introduction that QGIS provides. eg I am happy to give QGIS & a zipped local coastline & roads file to a biologist who comes in my door wanting a map. With GRASS I have to either teach them how to use it or do it for them... There is the GRASS book too, that's helpful.

    4) minor players. Depending on your application (imagery, etc) there may be other less known players out there you should have a look at. There's a new German one (who's name evades me)

    The DebianGIS package list is a good place to look:
    http://pkg-grass.alioth.debian.org/cgi-bin/wiki.pl /PackageList [debian.org]

    here are some GIS primers that might be useful for folks wanting to learn the basics:
    http://grass.gdf-hannover.de/twiki/bin/view/GRASS/ GisConcepts [gdf-hannover.de]

    You might also ask this question on the freegis.org mailing list.

    good luck.

  • I've used QGIS...

    (Score:2, Interesting)
    by The Plant Doctor (263) on Wednesday January 25, @10:08PM (#396)
    Not to it's fullest extent I'm sure. It's an impressive piece of open source software. Add to it the fact that is supports GRASS and PostGIS and I think it'll be a real winner soon. As for being user friendly I'm guessing it's the most user friendly of the ones you mentioned. And for doing what you specified it should do well.

  • Which Open Source GIS?

    (Score:2, Informative)
    by chrislegg (367) on Thursday January 26, @06:06AM (#398)
    If we are talking strictly open-source as opposed to freeware, then QGIS and GRASS may be the way to go. Within the agricultural research centres of the CGIAR we are starting to use DIVA, a Windows-based GIS that handles a wide range of formats of vector and raster data, has powerful analytical capabilities, plus a number of modules for biodiversity-related analysis. There is a programme just starting to make this truly open source and platform independent, with a range of plug-in modules for added functionality. The work is coordinated by Robert Hijmans at IRRI. Potential users should not be confused by the existence of two distinct versions and sources of DIVA on the web. The most functional version is DIVA 5.2.0.2, maintained by Robert Hijmans and others. The software was originally developed by Robert and others at CIP, and there is another DIVA website at CIP where version 3.0 can still be downloaded. Version 5.2.0.2 is quite powerful and user-friendly, as well as being fairly well documented. I recommend anyone to try it out. For the real geeks there is also a command-line no display GIS called AVID on the DIVA website!

  • Why open source?

    (Score:2, Interesting)
    by briancnorton (255) on Tuesday January 31, @07:42AM (#413)
    Is there a particular reason you want an open source GIS? What do non-savvy users care about open source for? Do you mean that you want a *free* GIS? If free isn't the issue but you aren't rolling with Arc-dollars, check out manifold GIS. www.manifold.net.

    • Re:Why open source?

      (Score:3)
      by Satri (3) on Tuesday January 31, @08:23AM (#415)
      ( http://alexandreleroux.blogspot.com/ | Last Journal: Friday March 17, @05:07PM )
      Well, yes, there is a particular reason. My division of Environment Canada has a policy to build software in-house, using existing open source tools/software whenever possible. Of course, we could use free or "cheap" GIS software too. In fact, we bought two manifold licenses about a year ago (but problem is, we mainly have RH/Debian machines, so windows-only software is problematic). The thing is, there is a lot of people whom might need access to GIS and buying 10 floating licenses or 50 locked-licenses is not reasonable.

      In short, we want to make sure there is no open source alternative before going proprietary. I'll try to take the time to look deeper into QGIS/GRASS. It still looks like the winner right now. I understand open source GIS is not mature yet, but I'm ready to participate and seriously give it a chance. (we already use GDAL/OGR/OpenGL etc.)
      [ Parent ]