ETC News
February 25, 2005
The GIS (Geographic Information Systems) division of Engineering Technologies Canada (ETC) has just launched a review of two Open Source GIS packages.
We are reviewing the GRASS 6.0 package and the Quantum GIS 0.6.0 package. The review will consist of testing the packages in the Linux and the Windows environments, and comparing ease of installation, functionality and suitability for users in the Atlantic Canada area. Typically available data (ie free data from PEI and New Brunswick governments) will be used for the testing. The results of the review will be posted on this web site in March 2005. As part of the project the PEI and New Brunswick Double Stereographic Projections will be tested with the two packages. Data testing will include standard formats such as SHP (ArcView), MID/MIF (Mapinfo) and unique formats native to GRASS and Quantum. Orthophotos in TIFF and MrSID formats will also be imported for background display and for testing raster analysis functions.
To learn more about GRASS please visit the web site at http://grass.baylor.edu/
"GRASS (Geographic Resources Analysis Support System) is a raster/vector GIS, image processing system, and graphics production system. GRASS contains over 350 programs and tools to render maps and images on monitor and paper; manipulate raster, vector, and sites data; process multi spectral image data; and create, manage, and store spatial data. GRASS uses both an intuitive windows interface as well as command line syntax for ease of operations. GRASS can interface with commercial printers, plotters, digitizers, and databases to develop new data as well as manage existing data." (from GRASS website)
To learn more about Quantum please visit http://qgis.org/
Quantum GIS (QGIS) is a Geographic Information System (GIS) built for Linux/Unix. QGIS supports vector, raster, and database formats.
Some of the major features include:
1. Support for spatially enabled PostGIS tables
2. Support for shapefiles, ArcInfo coverages, Mapinfo, and other formats
3. Raster support for a large number of formats
4. Identify features
5. Display attribute tables
6. Select features
7. GRASS Digitizing
8. Feature labeling
(from QGIS website)
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