[FGS] Re: GIS suite

[Frank Warmerdam]

Tyler Mitchell wrote:
>>I agree that distro's should be fat;
>>I feel apps should be statically linked (either works or it doesnt)
> 
> 
> Can you guys describe the overhead involved with compiling as static 
> instead?  Is it an easy task?

Tyler / Nicolas,

Because we are working with a whole bunch of applications sharing components,
I am inclined to stick with shared libraries for stuff like GDAL, libtiff,
PROJ, GEOS and so forth, but take care that all the software we distribute
is using the same version of the supporting libraries.

I know it is increasingly difficult to even build stuff against a static
GDAL for instance.  And if we enough static building could really bloat
stuff up for distribution over the internet.

>>Is anyone running the pythonmapscript stuff? If so, webserver should run 
>>it...

As it stands the python mapscript is mostly used as a cgi, so any web
server that supports running cgi's should be OK.  There are light web
servers written in python, right?  Perhaps that what we could use for our
light web server.

>>Where is foss heading wrt desktop apps?
> 
> 
> This is where I would really like see this project go in the end.  There 
> are a lot of options but none, in my opinion, have all that it takes. 
> I'd like see as many of the tools available to as wide an audience as 
> possible - thereby giving some choice and broadening the user community 
> around them.  Since Frank's on board I think OpenEV would be the ideal 
> first target.  Then perhaps the other Python-based app Thuban would be a 
> good choice.  QGIS is a bit deeper dependency-wise (from my experience 
> with QT).  Then there's GRASS - it's been a while since I've used it so 
> I'm not sure how it's packaged.  JUMP is java-based.
> 
> Am I forgetting others?

I agree, I would like to see a variety of the desktop apps available.

> I'd love to get Geoserver with geoclient running too, but that means we'll 
> need java tomcat server right?

I've been wondering if there should almost be a parallel effort to do
the Java stuff and to package it in such a way that lots of the java
applications (JUMP, JDBC PostGIS access, GeoTools, GeoServer, etc) work
smoothly but on any platform with an appropriate JRE.  Certainly it is
lightyears easier for the Java people to build a system independent distribution.
My problem is that usually when I try to get stuff like GeoTools running I find
I am missing lots of support .jar files.  I didn't seem to have that problem with
JUMP.  But it would be nice to have one bundle of the various Java technologies.
So far though, I don't think we have much experitise in that area.  Any of the
Java folks on the list?

We have picked up a number of subscribers in the last two days.

Best regards,
-- 
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I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam at pobox.com
light and sound - activate the windows | http://pobox.com/~warmerdam
and watch the world go round - Rush    | Geospatial Programmer for Rent