The Potential Use Of Open Source GI Software in Education
Presented by Elisabeth Dresen, FIT 2006 Research Semester - Project
Outline What is Free and Open Source Software?
Why using OS in education?
Advantages Disadvantages
Architecture of the study
Overview of FOSS4GIS
Criteria Catalogue
Data preparation (assignments for training courses) and questionnaire
Results
Evaluation of open source GI software in Education Preliminary evaluation of FOSS4GIS ‚Open Source‘ Concept
‚Free Software‘ is a matter of liberty, not price! Why using OS GI Software in education? Research Semester - Project
PROS: CONS: - Costs of Software = 0 € - Finally Costs not = 0 € - Application of different GI Software - Mostly stepwise installation -> diversified experience, flexibility, - Needs of labor market focus on methods - Very quick development cycle - Source Code is ‚open‘ ->new possibilities for teaching - Documentation lags behind - transparency - GUI not always intuitive - Distribution of software possible - Regular update of material - High Quality, scientific (adaptation of knowledge very fast) - Fast development cycle - Direct communication between user and developer Study Architecture Research Semester - Project Literature research
Overview of FOSS4GIS Preselection gvSIG Main Criterias: Open Jump - OS Windows uDIG - Stable Quantum GIS Questionnaire Catalogue - Main functionality SAGA GIS Testing Phase ILWIS
Focus on Environmental Sciences Preliminary Results General Comparison
Selection of FOSS4GIS in training courses SAGA GIS ILWIS Seminars Grieseler GmbH, frankepartner, DVAG, Fh Eberswalde Evaluation of: - Questionnaire Standardized Questionnaire for students - learning curve - institution Results, Recommendations, Outlook - own experience Research Semester - Project
Library in C Library in Java
GDAL JTS Topology Suite
Raster Format Reader / Writer OpenGIS Geometries and Methods
OGR GeoTools
Vector Format Reader / Writer Data Formats, Java GIS Toolkit
PROJ4 WKB4J Java Well-Known Binary Reader / Coordinate Reprojection Writer GEOS GML4J
Geometry Objects and Java GML Reader / Writer Functions Research Semester - Project
Development (General) statistical computing environment: http://www.r-project.org/ PostgreSQL Rgeo: spatial data analysis in R, unified Most advanced open source classes and interfaces (e.g, RGRASS) relational database http://r-spatial.sourceforge.net/ http://www.postgresql.org/
GRASS GIS Spatial Computing http://grass.itc.it
GDAL - Geospatial Data Abstraction Library http://www.gdal.org
PostGIS: support for QGIS: user friendly geographic objects to the Open Source GIS PostgreSQL object-relational http://www.qgis.org database http://postgis.refractions.net Spatially-enabled Internet applications http://mapserver.gis.umn.edu/ (Mitasova 2006) FOSS4GIS – In a nutshell Research Semester - Project
GRASS – Geographic Resources Analysis Support System
Long development (since 1982) Extensive documentation, good support via forum Widespread, sound GIS; functionality, flexibility, stability License: GNU General Public License (GPL) Wingrss6.3 -> MSwidows Home: http://grass.itc.it/
gvSIG – Generalitat Valencia Sistema de Información Geográfica
Development since 2000 Very good possibilities to extend Î sextante Intuitive GUI, similarity to proprietary software (ArcView3.3) GNU General Public License (GPL) PostgreSQL… Home: www.gv.sig.gva.es FOSS4GIS – In a nutshell Research Semester - Project
SAGA GIS – System for Automated Geoscientific Analysis
Pros and Cons
Development since 2001, Open Source since 2004 Scientific Software Very good raster processing Good GPS – Import Low resource requirement Î no extraordinary hardware requirements Stabile Good support Î Forum No installation Data history Inconvenient data visualization GUI/documentation/forum Î English Documentation extendible; no help Poor print layout home: http://www.saga-gis.uni-goettingen.de/html/ FOSS4GIS – In a nutshell Research Semester - Project
ILWIS – Integrated Land and Water Information System
Pros and Cons
Development since 1985, since 2007 Open Source Very good remote sensing application User friendly -> Very good tutorial; very extensive help system Statistics, Calculations Good format support (import/export) Good layout options Full functionality via command line Good Scripting Data management based on Domains Uncomfortable GPS – Import Own formats (vector, raster) So far, low forum activity home: http://www.itc.nl/ilwis/ Research Semester - Project
SAGA GIS – System for Automated Geoscientific Analysis
Working Environment Data Visualization Objekt Properties
Screenshot from SAGA GIS Research Semester - Project
ILWIS – Intergated Land and Water Information System
Functionalities Command line Object - Catalog Screenshot from ILWIS Research Semester - Project
Criteria Catalogue (Extract) Collection of c.a. 160 criteria were tested Standard setting (ESRI) Provided geodata sets were evaluated Main topics to be covered: Documentation / User Community Development Cycle Handling Data – Formats General Tools Georeferencing / Coordinates Systems Digitizing / Editing Geoprocessing Thematic View / Layout Options Raster functionalities Remote sensing abilities 3D View / Animations Research Semester - Project
Data preparation (training courses) and questionnaire
Provided Datasets of software
Evaluation of available tutorials
General emphasis on raster functionalities
Verification / Comparison with ArcGIS
Evaluation Sheet for students Research Semester - Project
Questionnaire – some results
In total: 33 Evaluation
Frage 6
Do you think that now or in 3% future OS GIS will substitute 21% proprietary software? Ja Nein Weiß nicht
76% Research Semester - Project
Questionnaire – some results Frage 11a In total: 33 Evaluation
0% 24%
Would you prefer, to learn in Ja university/ training centers/ Nein courses exclusively OS GI Weiß nicht
software? 76%
Some student comments: Some student comments:
“So far no demand on labor market” “Good opportunity for self-employed” “Still not accepted – not internationally “ I Like the philosophy” used” “Same and better quality than “Not wide spread” proprietary software” “No implemented help system” “Teacher has to be up to date” “Too complicated for beginners” “Testing at home…no problem!” Research Semester - Project
Results, Recommendations, Outlook
Very positive feedbacks! Î Student’ s side
Surprisingly broad functionality Î Software's side
Easier to adopt for students with no experience in GIS (ongoing research?) Î my (subjective) side (as teacher)
Substitution not all at once, but step by step (Extensions) Greater user community in education field (exchange of assignments, ideas, experience…)
Pace of change
System administration -> security
Not “THE one GI software” but taking the best parts of everything Research Semester - Project
References & Acknowledgement
Mitasova H. (2006) Open Source GIS: A GRASS GIS Approach. 3rd edition. The Kluwer international series in Engineering and Computer Science (SECS): Volume 773. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston, Dordrecht, London. ISBN: 1-4020-8064-6. 424 pages
Thank a lot for all work, done by programmers and all other involved people for the great OS software!!!
Special thanks go to the company geoSYS for every support to realize the study!
Thanks to the Fh-Eberswalde, to be able to realize such a project in the frame of the study!
Furthermore I have to express my gratitude to all students who participated in the study! use it or loose it;-) Research Semester - Project
Questions? -- Thank you for your attention! --