>>>>> Yann Chemin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
> Hi all, just though to say one thing that first users have trouble
> with. In itself it is not a problem for half of them after few days
> of GRASS GIS, but the remaining part just cannot get used to it.
> When processing is done, they think their new map is going to be
> displayed automatically (it is part of the processing to display
> output).
> linked to this, they have hard time imagining that two-three windows
> make one software (I know, Windows users they are), I have to
> expelain that most GIS/RS software work this way, and that it has
> strong advantages (dual monitors for example, one for processing and
> one visualizing), and I prefer it that way as many of us I guess.
> Just adding a little bit on what wall very first GIS users are
> banging...
Because of such difficulties, I've tried a reversed approach.
First of all, I've explained:
* what's GIS software, what it's used for? (the audience was
supposed to have no prior experience with GIS);
* what's GRASS? the basics of its design, with a particular
emphasis put on using an ``embedded language'' -- the POSIX
Shell (a historical decision due to the GRASS' UNIX origins);
* how to start Bash? (the classroom computers were running
Windows);
* how to start GRASS from the Shell? namely, I've recommended:
$ grass63 -text
Then, we've been playing a little with a few basic GRASS
commands (g.list(1), r.info(1), g.region(1), r.what.rast(1)) to
get some ``feel'' of the CLI. (Depending on the amount of time
given it may be advisable to mention Shell functions and, if the
environment variables are also introduced, Shell scripts.)
Finally, there was a bit of `gis.m'. (BTW, it seems that it
runs quite well with Tcl 8.5.1, Tk 8.5.1, as of GRASS 6.3rc4.)
The second half of the GRASS-related part was focused mainly on
r.mapcalc(1).
Since the GRASS-related part of the course is quite small, I've
made extensive use of pre-created locations (i. e., there were
no need to get through the location creation process, nor the
need to `r.in.*' or `v.in.*'.)
_______________________________________________
grass-dev mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/grass-dev
