[FGS] End-User objective

[Yves Moisan]

Hi Frank,

Frankly ;), I wasn't too interestd in the tutorials side of things although
it will obviously be important as a complement to sample datasets that make
it into FGS.  I also share your vision that tutorials should be the
responsibility of the original developers.  Do we need a standard way to
package tutorials/datasets or is this too tightly intertwined with
individual projects ?  Could it be worthwhile to think of a mechanism for
developers to package their tutorials/sample_datasets in standardized
formats that could be readily included into FGS?  Anyhow, the most important
point for me was the layering of packages and since FGS will have that in
mind, then great !

Cheers,

Yves

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Frank Warmerdam" <warmerdam at pobox.com>
To: "Yves Moisan" <ymoisan at groupesm.com>
Cc: <foss-gis-suite at lists.maptools.org>
Sent: Monday, June 21, 2004 9:53 AM
Subject: Re: [FGS] End-User objective


> Yves Moisan wrote:
> > For the server side aspect of FOSS-GIS, this may be an interesting site
> > to consider.  Personally, I see a bunch of "geodata servers" -- those
> > servers could be any OGC compliant servers (MITOrthoServer is apparently
> > OGC 1.0) --  or some sort of data broker that would fetch data from
> > geodata servers and a GIS desktop.  Do I understand well the FOSS-GIS
> > idea as being a vertical solution all the way from geodata serving to
> > data analysis ?  In this case, it would be nice to have a choice to
> > install either a "FOSS-geoserver layer" and/or a "FOSS geodata broker
> > layer" and/or a "FOSS GIS desktop layer".  If pieces could be decoupled,
> > then it would be possible to set up a web of geoservers and geoclients
> > (e.g in university labs).  And maybe when a clearer idea of a geodata
> > broker (WSDL/UDDI/GML ?) shapes up it can be implemented as a FOSS-GIS
> > layer.
>
> Yves,
>
> I looked over the MITOrthoServer install and setup instructions.  Some of
> the "requirements" section would be avoided in the FGS case as we the FGS
> team provide all the preconditions for packages.  The MITOrthoServer does
> a nice job of walking folks through the steps though.  It would be nice to
> provide similar information as needed for FGS - however, I don't expect to
> provide too much added-value tutorial material for particular products.
> Perhaps others will see that as key and step up to the plate for it, but
> I would generally consider detailed tutorial material to be the
responsibility
> of the original product team rather than us as packagers.
>
> One thing Brent has raised though is the need for us to provide some
sample
> datasets that should work with various products.  Where possible (ie.
spearfish
> for GRASS) we should aim to distribute data easily used in the existing
> tutorial material for the packages.
>
> The other issue you raise is to offer various installation options so FGS
> can be installed on server for just server purposes for instance.  I think
> this will be handled just fine with our base package and then various
layered
> packages for particular packages.
>
> Best regards,
>
> -- 
> ---------------------------------------+----------------------------------
----
> 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
>