On Fri, 2003-11-07 at 00:11, David Forslund wrote: > At 01:07 AM 11/6/2003, Tim Churches wrote: > >David Forslund <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > Have people considered openmap? (http://openmap.org) It doesn't > > > seem to > > > be missing much in the way of features and has been around for quite > > > awhile. > > > >Yes, we thought it was very good. However, for our purposes, it had two > >problems: > >a) the need for Java to be available locally - we can't rely on that, and > >needed a > >Web GIS system which could also just deliver raster images to a browser and > >only need JavaScript. > >b) we couldn't see an obvious and easy way to "dumb down" the interface, > >which > >is a bit too complex for the casual or occasional user who wants to look > >at some > >maps in a hurry. > > It works fine as I understand in generating raster images to a browser if > you like > through a servlet.
OK, we should re-evaluate it as a servlet. > Sounds like Java was the real barrier for you. Well, yes, our experience with both client-side and server side Java apps has not been a happy one - mostly the fault of the (non open source) Java GIS application we were trying to deploy. We eventually abandoned the project due to problems with massive memory consumption on both the client and server side which the application provider never managed to solve, as well as very poor client-side performance (even on the latest PCs). But yes, if we can use Python (with C extension modules for extra speed if really required) instead of Java, then we will. To us, Python is a nicer, more productive language, the execution speed is comparable to Java (much better with C extension modules for bottlenecks), Python is easier to interface with other non-Java systems (and with Java systems via Jython), and has equivalent cross-platform support to Java. What Python lacks is massive backing by large corporations such as IBM and Sun, as well as any recognition by corporate IT people. We have not found either of these to be major problems. Tim C > >But if you are looking for a fairly fully-featured map browser which can > >run in a > >browser (if you have Java), then it looks like the goods. We plan to > >re-assess in a > >year or two, when we can rely on users having a fairly recent Java VM > >installed. > > > >Tim C > > > > > > > > Dave > > > At 08:01 PM 11/5/2003, Heitzso wrote: > > > >Re FOSS GIS, I've played with mapserver/postgis and was very > > > >impressed. I'm curious if that combination was explored, and > > > >what is available in ESRI and is used by these surveillance > > > >packages and that isn't available in current (may be the > > > >operative word) mapserver/postgis/geos/r combo > > > >(i.e. postgresql extended with postgis/geos and r statistical > > > >package)? > > > > > > > >Thanks, > > > >Heitzso > > > > > > > >Tim Churches wrote: > > > >>Andrew Ho <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > >> > > > >>>I would hope OpenEMed is packaged for easier installation than > > > RODS: > > > >> From http://www.health.pitt.edu/rods/sw/default.htm > > > >>>----------- begin quote > > > >>>WARNING! Installation of RODS and its associated software packages > > > >>>requires the assistance of an experienced Oracle DBA, web server > > > >>>administrator, and an ESRI expert. Attempting to install RODS > > > without > > > >>>such > > > >>>guidance is not advised. > > > >>>----------- end quote > > > >> > > > >>The RODS people are just being realistic. You need to understand > > > the > > > >>nature of biosurveillance systems like RODS or OpenEMed, Andrew. > > > They are > > > >>not standalone packages, but rather comprise many separate parts, > > > all > > > >>working together, and as Dave has said, interfacing with often > > > dozens of > > > >>disparate external health information systems. I suspect that in a > > > >>real-life deployment, it may take many person-weeks or even > > > person-months > > > >>to properly install, configure and test something like RODS. So > > > even for > > > >>a simplified demo system, allotting several person days is not > > > >>unreasonable. Just because no money is needed to obtain FOSS > > > doesn't mean > > > >>that no money or other resources are required to install and > > > configure it. > > > >> > > > >>> Also, they are still dependent on ESRI's proprietary GIS > > > product. > > > >> > > > >>Although the various open source GIS products are improving > > > rapidly, none > > > >>currently approach the combination of power and ease-of-use of the > > > ESRI > > > >>ArcIMS product on Posix platforms (MapInfo, the main ESRI > > > competitor, is > > > >>also powerful and easy to use, but it is mainly for Windows > > > platforms). > > > >>We looked at the FOSS GIS alternatives very carefully before > > > deciding to > > > >>go with ESRI. So I can understand RODS' decision to use the ESRI > > > product > > > >>- there is no real FOSS alternative with the same range of features > > > and > > > >>capabilities. Maybe in a year or two more there will be, but not > > > yet. > > > >> > > > >>>On the other hand, 31 of the 50 states in the U.S. currently use > > > >>>RODS! > > > >>> http://openrods.sourceforge.net/index.php?page=contribute > > > >> > > > >>Yes, but only to track pharmacy sales, not for ambulatory care > > > >>surveillance, which is a lot more complex. Only two states use RODS > > > for > > > >>Emergency Room-based surveillance so far - still an impressive > > > >>acheivement, mind you. > > > >> > > > >>>If each state contributes 0.5 developer, they would have 15 FTE > > > >>>developers > > > >>>- Wow! > > > >> > > > >>Yup, there is a lot of potential in FOSS-mediated resource > > > aggregation. > > > >>Tim C > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >------------------------------------------------------- > >This SF.net email is sponsored by: SF.net Giveback Program. > >Does SourceForge.net help you be more productive? Does it > >help you create better code? SHARE THE LOVE, and help us help > >YOU! Click Here: http://sourceforge.net/donate/ > >_______________________________________________ > >Openrods-general mailing list > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/openrods-general -- Tim C PGP/GnuPG Key 1024D/EAF993D0 available from keyservers everywhere or at http://members.optushome.com.au/tchur/pubkey.asc Key fingerprint = 8C22 BF76 33BA B3B5 1D5B EB37 7891 46A9 EAF9 93D0
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