Open Source GIS

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Open Source GIS Technology overview Presented
by Aaron Racicot GIS Programmer aaronr_at_ecotrust
.org February 8, 2006
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Outline

• Introduction
• Benefits/Limitations of Open Source
• Technology Overview - Platforms
• Desktop
• Server
• Embedded devices
• Workflows of interest
• Cartography - Desktop paper map publishing
• Cartography - Web map publishing
• Modeling - Web-Based real-time decision support
• Where is it all going?
• Where to go for more info

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Who am I
B.S. Computer Science
M.S. Environmental Science
Environmental advocate Telemark/BC Skier Rafting
Guide Portland Mountain Rescue
Open Source advocate Open Source
User/Developer Embedded systems developer GIS
Programmer
Split Personality
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Ecotrust - Salmon Nation
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Why Open Source?
Free Software!

Free software is a matter of liberty, not price.
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Freedom

• Four basic freedoms (The Free Software
  Foundation)
• The freedom to run the program, for any purpose.
• The freedom to study how the program works, and
  adapt
• it to your needs. Access to the source code is a
  precondition for this.
• The freedom to redistribute copies so you can
  help your
• neighbor.
• The freedom to improve the program, and release
  your
• improvements to the public, so that the whole
  community
• benefits. Access to the source code is a
  precondition for this.

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Benefits/Limitations of Open Source

• Benefits
• Software cost 0
• Source code is available and modifiable
• User and development communities flourish
• Development cycles are VERY fast

• Limitations
• Total cost is NOT 0
• Many applications are not as polished as the
  proprietary counterparts
• Compatibility with proprietary software can be an
  issue

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Software Stacks Desktop
Desktop Software Stack
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OS GIS Desktop Applications
GRASS GIS
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Software Stacks... Server
Server Software Stack
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OS GIS - Server Tools
GDAL/OGR
R-Statistics
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OS GIS

• Important considerations
• Platform support (i.e. UNIX, Linux, Windows, Mac
  OS)
• Speed and efficiency
• Data format support
• Standards for interoperability (OGC specs)

• Areas for improvement
• Separate packages all with their own strengths
• Linking them together is often hard
• Write support is often not supported for
  proprietary formats
• Ability to integrate into proprietary systems is
  limited (i.e. can not link PostGIS database to
  ArcMapyet)
• Requires multiple installs and maintenance
• User interfaces are often the last part of
  development
• Harder to produce traditional paper maps

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Alternatives!

• ArcReader
• ArcMap/ArcGIS
• ArcINFO/ArcGRID
• ArcPad
• ArcSDE
• ArcIMS
• ArcGIS Server
• VB, Python

• UDig,Jump,GRASS,QGis,OSSIM
• UDig,Jump,GRASS,QGis,OSSIM
• GRASS, OSSIM
• ????
• PostGIS
• Mapserver
• GRASS
• PHP, Python, Perl, C.net, etc

Viewing
Cartography
Analysis
Devices
Database
Web
Spatial Server
Scripting
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Workflows of Interest

• Most GIS applications have a similar work flow
  pattern
• Gather spatially explicit data
• Process that data to suit the user needs
• Produce outputs useful to the end user

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Work Flow Paper Map Publishing
User Request
Data Gathering
Data Formatting
Data Processing
Map Formatting
Map Production
User Response
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Work Flow What OSGIS is good at
User Request
Paper Map Publishing
Data Gathering
Data Formatting
Data Processing
Map Formatting
Map Production
Great at data processing but poor at formatting
and creating paper maps
User Response
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Example Paper Map Publishing
QGIS
ArcMap
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Work Flow Web Map Publishing
Web User Request
Web Services
Map Formatting
Static Data Storage
Map Production
Web User Response
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Work Flow What OSGIS is good at
Web User Request
Web Map Publishing
Web Services
Map Formatting
Static Data Storage
Map Production
Web User Response
Great at all aspects of traditional web-based
mapping
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Examples Web Map Publishing
Chameleon
Custom DHTML/JavaScript
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Examples Web Map Publishing
Cartoweb3 CampToCamp
Ka-Map DM Solutions
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Work Flow Real-Time Web DST
Real-Time Web Decision Support Tools
Web User Request
Web Services
Data Gathering
Data Formatting
Data Processing
Static Data Storage
Map Formatting
Map Production
Web User Response
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Work Flow What OSGIS is good at
Real-Time Web Decision Support Tools
Web User Request
Web Services
Data Gathering
Data Formatting
Data Processing
Static Data Storage
Map Formatting
Map Production
The Problem Is The Arrows! Connecting a web
request to server side GIS analysis is tricky
Web User Response
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Example Real-Time Web DST
Siuslaw Watershed Restoration Initiative
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Work Flow Real-Time Web DST
Mapserver on the front end
GRASS on the back end
Data Gathering
Data Formatting
Data Processing
Mapserver
GRASS
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Example OSGIS in use

• QGIS and GRASS as a desktop supplement
• QT as an desktop application framework
• PostGIS to store vector data layers
• Mapserver as a web-based front end
• Chameleon Interface as a client side web
  interface
• GRASS as a server side GIS for DST development
• OGR/GDAL to pre-process vector and raster data
• R-Statistics and GMT for graphing and statistics

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Example - OCEANSystem
R-Statistics
User driven Web interactive tools
GIS analytical computing
Mapserver
Chameleon
PostGIS
GRASS
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Ecotrust Example - OCEANSystem
QGIS/GRASS
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Where is it all going?

• Integration of OS software across organizations
• Google type interfaces (smooth user experience)
• AJAX driven
• Streaming media
• Seamless datasets
• Large datasets require more pre-processing
• Pressure on large private companies to become
  more responsive to end user needs
• Integration of OSGIS with proprietary software
  required for migration path
• Start of services based business

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The Future of OSGIS
QGIS/GRASS GIS
Web-Based Mapserver
Fully Integrated Open-Source GIS
UMN Mapserver Making data accessible via the
web. Geo-spatial server viewed through a web
browser. Taking our vision to a growing audience.
QGIS/GRASS GIS Fully functional server GIS
doing the heavy lifting.
Adding the analytical glue to make smart
decisions based upon sound GIS analysis.
Making GIS analysis accessible and affordable
R-Statistics GMT
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Where to go for more info

• OSGIS
• Maptools - http//www.maptools.org
• FreeGIS - http//freegis.org/
• Open Source GIS - http//opensourcegis.org/
• Standards
• OGC - http//www.opengeospatial.org/
• Desktop
• GRASS - http//grass.itc.it/
• QGIS - http//qgis.org/
• UDIG - http//udig.refractions.net/confluence/disp
  lay/UDIG/Home
• JUMP http//jump-project.org/
• OpenEV - http//openev.sourceforge.net/
• Server/Web
• Mapserver - http//mapserver.gis.umn.edu/
• GRASS - http//grass.itc.it/
• PostGIS - http//postgis.refractions.net/
• Tools
• Remote Sensing - http//remotesensing.org/tiki-ind
  ex.php
• GDAL/OGR - http//gdal.maptools.org/index.html

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The End Tool Screen Shots Follow
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Backup - GRASS
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Backup - QGIS
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Backup - OSSIM
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Backup - UDIG
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Backup - JUMP
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Backup R-Statistics
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Backup PostGIS
Geometry
WKT Geometry