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| GeoCommunity Mailing List |
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| Mailing List Archives |
| Subject: | RE: [gislist] GIS software/hardware donations for 3rd World |
| Date: |
01/21/2005 01:20:02 PM |
| From: |
Ned Horning |
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> Lastly, I disagree with anything related to opensource GIS for any
> developing communities, this will leave them nowhere, and further
> discouraged after they understand what they have gotten themselves =
into,
and
> it provides no structure for development of local intellectual =
property
> [because the nature of opensource is that there is no organization, =
just
> like linux]
With open source it doesn't have to be an either/or decision. I am a big
proponent of open source but there is no way I would give up my =
commercial
packages for doing my day to day work. Same goes for a mapping agency in =
any
country. They will need the capabilities that are currently available
through commercial software and they will figure out how to obtain and
maintain this type of software.=20
On the other hand, I'm going to be giving a remote sensing workshop in
Vietnam with about 30 students form local NGOs and small government
agencies. I am planning on using open source software because at the end =
of
the course I'll be able to give participants a CD with all of the data =
and
software. This way they can continue doing what they learned in the =
workshop
and pass it on to anyone they like. It's not so much an issue with what =
the
software can do but how it can be distributed.
Even if GIS software costs only few hundred dollars the way it is =
licensed
can be problematic if you are interested in broad distribution. Even for =
a
single office, if you can't guarantee continued maintenance and support =
of
the software, may be of little use after a year.
For what it's worth, I have sensed a great interest in open source =
software
in the developing world.=20
All the best,
Ned
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