Transcript Adopting OS GIS Technology in Heterogenous Environments

Adopting OS GIS technology in
heterogeneous environments
Providing decision makers with arguments beyond cost
What to expect from this presentation
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An introduction to the software development concepts of
Free Software and Open Source related to GIS
Save Money! Currently this catch line is often being
(mis)used to primarily legitimate the use of Free Software.
This may be one argument, but there are many more.
A peek into the inner workings of Free Software and Open
Source development models
Adoption of methods and techniques which are responsible
for the high quality and constant further development of
OS/FS GIS software
CCGIS – Specializing in
Spatial Data Infrastructures
CCGIS implements GIS related software since 1998
(http://www.ccgis.net)
We provide full service around GIS and have specialized in
implementing WebGIS (Internet GIS)
We have implemented the proprietary Web Map Server
SICAD/SD-IMS and taught it to talk WMS
We operate a website with Online Web Map Services and
Free Data (http://wms.ccgis.de)
We have initiated and operate the Free Software project
Mapbender, a D-HTML WebGIS Client Suite
(http://www.mapbender.org)
The authors of this presentation are Athina Trakas and Arnulf B. Christl
At Work
Under Observation...
What is Open Source?
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The human readable part of a software is the source code. The
term "Open Source" describes a software where the source is
open for everybody to see (Eric S. Raymond 1998)
Instead of treating Source Code as the most important
business secret, the Open Source concept opens sources to
the scrutiny of a highly educated user community who in turn
compensate this openness by further developing the project
The Open Source Initiative (OSI) explicitly extends the
openness to other areas, most of which can also be found in
the Free Software movement. Open Source is a precondition
of Free Software
http://www.opensource.org/docs/definition.php
What is Free Software?
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The concept of Free Software was initiated by Richard
Stallman in 1984
The GNU GPL (General Public License) is probably responsible
for Free Software to not have died out
It is founded on rather more philosophical and theoretical
questions about copyright, copyleft and users' rights
Initially it was spawned from the simple need for a free
UNIX-style operating system, it was named with the
acronym GNU (GNU is not UNIX)
Free Software concepts and models can be transferred to
Free Spatial Data – a new development with high potential
http://www.fsf.org/philosophy/free-software-for-freedom.html
Free Software rights
1.The freedom to run the program for any purpose
1.The freedom to study how the program works, and
adapt it to your needs. (Access to the source code, i.e. Open
Source is a precondition for this)
2.The freedom to redistribute copies
3.The freedom to improve the program, and release your
improvements to the public, so that the whole
community benefits. (Access to the source code, i.e. Open
Source is a precondition for this)
To fully understand all the implications of Free Software and Open Source it
takes more than this short introduction! Check with the FSF and OSI websites.
OS/FS Development Models
From our practical point of view Open Source and Free Software
can be handled together as OS/FS
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The opportunity for everybody to access the source code
helps to reduce cost and time of development
Without the participation of enough competent users and
programmers a project may not be further developed and
will fail, and many do
High quality standards are achieved because the open
process includes every single participator involved
(namely users, developers, decision makers, support and
service teams, trainers – name them as you like)
Life Cycle vs. Development Cycle
product cycle model
market analysis
development team
develops software
Free Software development cycle
Problem is identified
Software development team
solves problem
beta version release
for beta tester
beta tester reports errors to
development team
Internet as communication
pool and distribution media
development team
reproduces the error
Participators find errors and
solve the problem
development team reports to
the product management
Improved code is
published in the Internet
development team solves
problem after OK from pm
new version is released
sell copies
of is
software
product
product
launched
Bottom Up Method
The absence of a tight roadmap
allows highest flexibility in the
development
Solutions
originate from
problems that have
been solved and documented
Early adapters use
in a fashion that empowers
technology just
others to also use it
because it is available
The nature of FS/OS prevents dependencies and inhibits
the growth of any knowledge monopoly
No software
component is essential, everything can be done in a
different way
Development of OS/FS GIS Software
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The GRASS community was the first to develop and use
OS/FS GIS
Right from the start GRASS focused on format
interoperability; later activities organized themselves
in the OpenGIS Consortium
Internet technology and the growing need to access
spatial data from different sources foster the chaotic
collaboration of software developers and users alike
Commercial enterprises make systematic use of OS/FS
methods to further develop GIS projects and software
Adoption of OS/FS by GIS Users
There are basically three different levels of accessing GIS technology:
decision makers, users and developers. Each level needs an individual
view to Open Source and Free Software.
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For most decision makers the economical aspects
currently are the most appealing advantage
For users the ease of getting highly qualified help and
support is an argument for using OS/FS GIS software
Developers appreciate the OS/FS software
development model and ease to access know-how
http://www.mapbender.org/
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The nature of spatial data reflects ideas of OS/FS
concepts => a specialists view on everybody's space
Conclusion
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Open Source and Free Software are not new to GIS
technology but growing faster than ever before
The Internet as communication platform considerably
accelerates the adoption of OS/FS GIS technology by
users and developers alike
Internet technology itself empowers a much broader
user community to access spatial data with GIS software
GIS cannot be isolated from other developments
anymore as it highly depends on third party software
Standardization can conciliate between sometimes
antagonistic proprietary and open development models
WebGIS with Free Software Example
Software components:
 Free Operating System
 Free Web Server
 Free Web Map Server (WMS)
 Free Spatially Enabled Database
 Free Web Scripting Language
 Free Web Map Client Suite
Standardisation:
 Open GIS Consortium
 ISO Standardisation Organisation
Mapbender
This architecture can
be seen at work:
http://wms.ccgis.de
Thank You for your attention
For more information please contact:
Arnulf B. Christl
[email protected]
CCGIS Christl & Stamm GbR
Siemensstr. 8
53121 Bonn
Germany
Visit our web sites at:
http://www.ccgis.de
Visit the Mapbender Project homepage at:
http://www.mapbender.org