shrug-l: Looking for Suggestions

[Sykes, John]

I started with a DeLorme product, then went to MapInfo and finally =
ArcGIS.
It would have definitely been easier to start with ArcGIS, although cost
played a large roll in getting the first two.  The problem was that my =
needs
soon exceeded their capabilities - ArcGIS definitely has the most power. =
 The
main problem I noticed in changing software packages was different
terminology and other small "quirks" from one product to another, that =
just
drove me crazy.  I don't think ESRI's terminology is the greatest, but =
once
you get use to it, it's OK.

Programming law #2 - "Make it possible for programmers to write programs =
in
plain English and you will find out that programmer can't write plain
English." (I think this quote is attributable to RAdm Ruth Hooper, one =
of the
co-inventors of COBOL, who also coined the term "Bug" when a moth got =
trapped
in a relay of one of the first digital computers causing it to fail).

-- John

P.S.  By the way, programming law #1 is "Any program will soon expand to =
use
all the available memory and disk space on a given computer."

-----Original Message-----
From: shrug-l-admin@lists.dep.state.fl.us
[mailto:shrug-l-admin@lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of
watry@steam.coaps.fsu.edu
Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2005 7:17 PM
To: shrug-l@lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: shrug-l: Looking for Suggestions

Hi

I am looking for some ideas about software. I have been asked to teach =
GIS to
under Grad and Grad students.=20

Here is the situation:
1: we run MAC, Linux, XP on the desk tops. (I am looking for GIS =
software
that runs on all platforms.)

2. I can not incur a large recurring cost or high setup costs for =
multiple
machines.

What I have so far is:
Software              Cost                                      =
Platforms
Comments       =20
QGIS                   Free        (open source)          Mac, XP, Linux =
=20
limited XP
TNTLite                Free        (limited capability)    Mac, XP, =
Linux=20
limited data size
Grass                  Free        (open source)           Mac, XP, =
Linux=20
steep setup

3. For web services, It will start on a Linux (maybe windows server in 6
months)
Software
MN MapSever                     Free        (open source)
WebView Professional         $360       (Educational License that is
extension in ARCGIS)

If I get a Windows server
Software
MN MapSever       Free        (open source)
Manifold              $300        (fully functional)

Thanks for any ideas or suggestions

Gary Watry

GIS Coordinator
Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies Floirda State University
Suite 200 Johnson Building Tallahassee, Florida 32306

Phone: (850) 644-4174
E-mail: watry@coaps.fsu.edu


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