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! --.