Stefan Steiniger: Aug-2007: subjective evaluation
Version: 03. March. 2008 (small changes)
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The table(s) should be published in forthcoming journal article which I have started to work on for a research article, because it bothers me, that current GIS research is hardly aware of the existing systems. I imagine that we all can profit from a better visibility – e.g. in terms of extended functionality.
To give an overview on the OS GIS functions I have setup a second table, to be found as well in this directory on http://www.spatialserver.net/osgis/.
I am open for suggestions on improving the table (e.g. in terms of used evaluation criteria and scales). But note that we should not add too much information in one table. So suggestions for further tables are welcome as well.
Stefan
sstein@geo.uzh.ch
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- possible
GIS application foci: a) data editing,
b) conflation, c) analysis, d) viewing (web)
- user
community: a) worldwide vs. Local (country), b) small – medium – large, c)
growing
--,-,o,+,++
Desktop GIS
|
Evaluation criterion |
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|
User level |
Data Type |
Application focus* |
Platform |
Supported OGC standards |
User community |
Reference user |
Development |
support |
License |
Usability |
Docu-mentation |
Modular/ PlugIn concept |
Developer API |
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|
N O V I C E |
E X P E R I E N C E D |
E X P E R T |
R E S E A R C H |
V E C T O R |
R A S T E R |
|
W I N D O S |
L I N U X |
M A C O S X |
L A N G U A G E |
|
(downloads in 2 months – e.g. for mid 2007) |
|
open or closed? [commiting Developers 2007] |
C O M P A N Y |
User List [average response in days] |
|
|
|
|
|
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|
GRASS (Geographic Resources Analysis Support System) 1982/85 |
(x) |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
Analysis and scientific visualization, cartography,
simulation |
x |
x |
x |
C, Shell, TclTk, Python |
Grass 6.2: GML (via OGR), WFS, WMS |
Worldwide, large, growing () |
Who is using GRASS:
(http://grass.itc.it/intro/) |
Open, Research
Instituts, Universities,
Companies, Volunteers worldwide [] |
X |
++ [] |
GPL |
-/+ |
+ |
Yes/? |
? |
||
|
QGIS* (Quantum GIS) 2002 |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
Viewing, GRASS-Graphical User Interface |
x |
x |
x |
C++, Qt4, Python |
QGIS 0.9: WMS, WFS, SFS (via PostGIS) , GML (via OGR) |
worldwide, large, growing () |
Kanton Solothurn, QGIS user map
(http://qgis.org) |
Open, Universities, Companies,
Volunteers worldwide [] |
X |
++ [] |
GPL |
+ |
++ |
Yes/Yes |
Yes |
||
|
UDig* (user-friendly
Desktop GIS) 2004/05 |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
(x) |
Viewing, Editing, Analysis |
x |
x |
x |
Java (Eclipse RCP) |
uDig 1.1: SFS, WMS, WFS, GML, SLD, OWC |
worldwide, medium, growing () |
JGrass |
Open, Companies (Refractions Research, Axios) Organizations (TOPP) [6] |
X |
+ [1] |
LGPL, Core Eclipse RCP is EPL, some modules GPL |
+ user interface guidelines, formal review process |
++ (user, sdk, project) |
Yes/Yes |
Yes (SDK Version) |
||
|
|
JGrass |
Interface and GUI for GRASS, Rasteranalysis,
Hydrology |
Worldwide, small, growing |
Silvia Franceschi |
|
|
|
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|
DivaGIS |
BioInformatics |
UN FAO |
UN FAO in Peru |
|
|
|
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gvSIG ( Generalitat
Valenciana, Sistema d'Informació Geogràfica?) – 2004 |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
goal: replacing ArcView |
x |
x |
x |
Java |
gvSIG 1.1: SFS, WMS, WFS, WCS, WMC, GML |
worldwide, large, growing () |
Reg. Council for Infrastr. and Transport. (Valencia, ES) |
Open, Companies, Universities and Organizations [more than 40] |
X |
++; 3 lists [1] |
GPL |
+ formal review process |
+ |
Yes/Yes |
No |
||
KOSMO(Kosmo - a spanish
JUMP fork) 2005 |
x |
x |
x |
|
x |
(x) |
Viewing, Editing, Analysis |
x |
x |
|
Java |
Kosmo 1.0: SFS, WMS, SLD (V1.2: additionally WFS,WPS) |
Spanish (300+), English: small growing |
Utilities, Local and Regional Covernment |
Open, Companies (project driven, utilities, etc.)[] |
X |
+; 2 lists [1] |
GPL |
+ |
+ spanish only |
Yes/Yes |
Yes |
||
|
SAGA (System
for Automated GeoScientific Analysis) 2001 |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
Analysis, modeling, scientific visualization |
x |
x |
|
C++ |
WMS, WFS, WCS (under
development) |
Medium (ca. 3500 downloads, 2
months, mid 2007) |
Dept. Physical Geography, Univ. Hamburg |
Open Lead: University of Hamburg [ca. 5] |
X |
+ [7] |
LGPL (API), GPL |
+ |
+ |
Yes/Yes |
Yes |
||
|
(Integrated Land and Water Information System) ca. 1980 |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
Analysis |
x |
|
|
MS Visual C |
WFS/WCS under development |
Medium (ca. 10000+) |
|
Open, ITC / 52° North |
x |
+ [1] |
GPL |
++ |
++ |
no |
no |
||
|
ca. 1998 |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
Providing core GIS and GUI functions, developing Decision
Support Systems |
x |
|
|
MS Visual Studio .NET (C++, C#, VB.NET) |
WFS/WCS under development |
Large (ca. 16000 in 2 months) |
Utah State University, Idaho State University, AQUA TERRA Consultants |
Open Lead: Idaho State University [4] |
x |
+ [?] |
Mozilla Public Licence vers. 1.1 |
++ (depends on application) |
+ |
Yes/Yes (using .NET) |
Yes (ActiveX and .NET) |
||
|
JUMP Family / OpenJUMP (open Java Unified
Mapping Platform) 2002/03 |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
(x) |
Editing, Analysis |
x |
x |
(x) |
Java |
OJ 1.2: SFS, WMS,GML,SLD (WFS/-T
plugin) |
worldwide, medium, growing (OpenJUMP ca. 2700) |
Tike Finland, Inst. for Env. Plan. - Uni Hannover, IGN France, GIS Division – UZH |
Open, Volunteers worldwide (orig. by company: VividSolutions) [7] |
x
|
+; 2 lists [1] |
GPL (JTS: LGPL) |
+ |
O/+ (delays) |
Yes/Yes |
Yes |
||
|
|
Focus on data conflation from different sources (i.e.
natural resources managment) |
Worldwide |
JCS: Brit. Columbia Ministry of Sust. Resource Managm.,
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources |
VividSolutions [2] |
x |
+ |
|
+ |
+ |
|
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|
|
French version (contains several improvements):
development stopped? |
FRA |
|
Projet SIGLE [1] |
|
? |
+ |
o |
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|
|
From University of Applied Sciences Osnabrueck (Germany)
Projekt Pirol with focus on Precision Farming additional functions: raster,
statistics, interpolation (IDW, Krieging), GPS |
DE |
|
Projekt Pirol [1] |
(x) |
o |
+ |
o |
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DeeJUMP** |
By Lat/Lon with focus on OGC standards |
DE |
|
Lat/Lon [2] |
x |
+ |
+ |
o |
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|
|
SkyJUMP*** |
By Larry Becker with focus on military facility planing |
USA |
|
ISA Inc, / Becker Soft [2] |
X |
? |
+ |
? |
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Notes: **) uses OpenJUMP as core; ***) functionality
exchange with OpenJUMP |
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*) strong development
activities: application focus may change
|
Desktop GIS Under development |
User level |
Application Focus |
Platform |
Supported OGC standards |
User community |
Reference user |
development |
Support |
|
Experienced user, GIS analyst |
Spatial Data Infrastructure user interface |
Java |
SLD, GML |
--- |
IRSTV |
IRSTV (FRA) |
|
|
|
Development frozen 2005/06 |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
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Desktop Viewer |
User level |
Application Focus |
Platform |
Supported OGC standards |
User community |
Reference user |
development |
support |
|
|
|
|
|
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|
Intevation |
|
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Database Viewer |
|
|
|
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Development Frozen ??? |
--- (Simulation) |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
TU Hamburg Harburg, Björnsen GmbH (DE) |
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Free to download and use, but not OpenSource:
Forestry GIS, Spatial Commander, TNT Lite, TatukGIS Viewer, ArcExplorer, Google
Earth, Google Maps, ...
|
Spatial Databases |
Platform |
Supported OGC standards |
User community |
Reference user |
development |
support |
Ease of use/installation |
|
Postgres & PostGIS
|
|
SFS, CTS |
Worldwide, large |
|
Refractions Research |
Professional, lists |
|
|
H2 & H2 spatial |
|
|
|
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IRSTV (FRA) |
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MySQL & Spatial
Extension |
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