Markus Neteler
Fondazione E Mach - CRI
Italy, neteler@cealp.it
From a niche to a global
user community:
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
Opensource Geospatial Research Symposium
Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
http://www.ogrs2009.org

The early days of open source GIS:
pre-Internet times...
1987: William Shatner narrates ...
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
1978: MOSS
1982: GRASS GIS
OSGeo
1990 1992 1994 2004 2006
GRASS Interagency Open GRASS Open GIS Open Geospatial
Steering Commitee Foundation (OGF) Consortium (OGC) Consortium (OGC)

Open Source GIS WWW
Timeline Civil Internet
Openlayers
MapGuide OS
Mapbuilder
Mapbender
Communities
gvSIG
developing
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
software QGIS
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
GEOS
Geonetwork
PostGIS
OSSIM
GDAL/OGR
deegree
UMN Mapserver
PROJ4
GRASS GIS
MOSS
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Open_Source_GIS_History#Timeline

Connecting the OSGeo stack
Portability, interoperability
Web Processing
Geostatistics Service
Predictive View
modeling Interact
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Teach
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
raster Spatial
External
vector
GRASS Analysis
data Modeling
Visualize
Database
engine:
Tables,
attributes DBF

Open Source GIS....
What you can do with
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009

Visualization: GRASS data export
to Paraview and Povray
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
Stereo rendering in
Paraview (www.paraview.org)
Povray rendering (www.povray.org): adding clouds and haze

Raster and 3D vector
Elevation model combined
with extruded 3D buildings;
also true 3D vector supported
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
Trento, Italy
Optional: KML export for
virtual globes

Viewshed analysis with GRASS
New, extremely fast viewshed algorithm (yet in GRASS-Addons): r.viewshed
Comparison on a 5m
Lidar based DEM (left
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
map) – calculation
time:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
- common command:
r.los: 4.5h
- rewritten:
r.viewshed: 18 sec
Viewsheds include
Earth curvature
5km
Viewshed from
Dos Trento

2D and 3D interpolation in GRASS
2D
Interpolation
Contour
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
lines
3D
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
Interpolation
(voxel)
v.vol.rst
wcolumn=sigma_v
b
v a
From D. Francisci (2009): Fabric Analysis in Archaeology

Google SoC 2007:
Map generalisation in GRASS
Generalisation:
Of contour lines (reduction
of points to improve
interpolation quality)
Lines and polygons
supported; 10 algorithms
Daniel Bundala, Student
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Wolf Bergenheim, Mentor
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
Point reduction from 40000
to 3000 vertices.
Interpolation runs
8 times faster while
artefacts are reduced
Study: Helena Mitasova

Lidar data analysis in GRASS GIS
Multi-return
Lidar data
Available Methods:
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
- cell based statistics
- binning
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
- spatial approximation
- smoothing
Use cases:
- topographic analysis
- Feature extraction (Separation DEM/DSM)
H. Mitasova, NCSU
M. Brovelli, PdM, Como

MODIS LST reconstruction:
infection diseases risk mapping
LST derived indices relevant for disease monitoring and
risk modeling (through time series analysis in GIS):
● late frost periods: relevant for masting of trees and
seed production J. Lindsey
● growing degree days (GDD) for phenological status
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Disease vector (ticks, mice, mosquitoes)
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
life cycle parameters: CDC
● hot/cold summers through mean temperature differences
● autumnal temperature decrease, spring warming
● annual/monthly temperature minima/maxima
Land Surface Temperature [°C]

MODIS Land Surface Temperature
(LST) reconstruction: filtered map
Northern Italy – Southern Alps
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
Neteler, in prep.

MODIS Land Surface Temperature
(LST) reconstruction: reconstructed map
Northern Italy – Southern Alps
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
Neteler, in prep.

MODIS Land Surface Temperature
(LST) reconstruction: Differences
Northern Italy – Southern Alps
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
Neteler, in prep.

MODIS Land Surface Temperature
(LST) reconstruction: Time Series
14°C
MODIS LST
- original
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
- reconstructed
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
-2°C
14°C
Meteostation
(pixel position)
-2°C
Neteler, in prep.
January 2007

MODIS LST reconstruction:
data and software
MODIS sensor on Terra and Aqua satellites
Data freely available from NASA/USGS
Delivered in HDF format, in SIN projection (product. level V005)
Series of products is made available by NASA:
Batch
Land surface temperature (LST) processing
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Vegetation indices (NDVI and EVI) on Grid
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
Engine:
Snow cover maps 1460 LST
LAI/FPAR ... and 40 further products maps/year for
>8 years
Linux cluster
Data processing: OSGeo stack
PROJ4, GDAL, GRASS GIS
MODIS processing chain implemented in GRASS GIS
(map algebra, raster time series calculations, volumetric interpolation)
Refs: Neteler, 2005. Time series processing MODIS, Intl J Geoinformatics
Rizzoli et. al., 2007, Tick-borne Encephalitis. Geospatial Health
Carpi et al., 2008, Tick-borne Encephalitis. Epidem. & Infect.
Neteler, in prep.

GIS and physical models: Tangible GIS
New technologies are combined to gain intuitive
physical 3D models of landscapes combined with
geodata – improved communication and collaboration
“Illuminated Clay” - developed by MIT Media Lab and SENSEable City lab
“Tangible GIS” - NCSU VISSTA laboratory
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
http://skagit.meas.ncsu.edu/~helena/wrriwork/tangis/

Design with TanGIS
Introduction of a checkdam
and creation of a terrain
depression, while studying
changes of slope and
overland flow in real-time
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
Simulated overland flow
with checkdam
NCSU/MIT, USA
http://skagit.meas.ncsu.edu/~helena/wrriwork/tangis/

http://www.whitehouse.gov/change/
Open Source Web mapping meets PA
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009

Open Source GIS*
brought to you by....
under appropriate license!
* Yes, we mean Free Software here
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009

GRASS GIS
http://www.osgeo.org
Founded 4 February 2006, Chicago
OSGeo Foundation: Founding members
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009

Open Source Geospatial
Foundation – OSGeo
www.osgeo.org
Mission: To support the development of open source
geospatial software and promote its widespread use.
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Founding projects (constituted in February 2006):
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
GDAL/OGR, GeoTools, GRASS GIS, Mapbender, MapBuilder,
MapGuide Open Source (Autodesk), MapServer, OSSIM
Official members only after graduation from the ”incubator“
Motivation: More that 200 GFOSS projects worldwide...
… need for selection and organization: User oriented!

GRASS User map
QGIS User
map
Mapbender User map
OSGeo
A few of many user
communities in
http://planet.osgeo.org/
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009

The OSGeo landscape
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
Communication via mailing
lists (11500 unique
subscribers in OSGeo
in 7/2009), conferences
and hack meetings

OSGeo software development: Source Code Control
Legal Aspects
● License compatibility (e.g., GRASS: GPL)
● Don't use code from books like “Numerical Receipes in C”!
●
Verify that 3rd party contributions are clean
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
● The employer has to agree if work time shall be used for
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
Free Software coding
Transparency and „peer review“ help to minimise any legal risk.
OSGeo inspired by Apache Foundation
● Incubator phase
● Graduation
http://incubator.apache.org/
http://www.osgeo.org/incubator

FOSS4G answers to proprietary
software
Proprietary vs Open Source/Free Software
Component Proprietary Open Source
Metadata Catalog CubeWerx WRS GeoNetwork
Dedicated Viewer ArcReader gvSIG, QGIS, uDig
Cartography ArcMap/ArcGIS GMT, GRASS, JGRASS
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
Analysis ArcINFO/ArcGIS, GRASS, OSSIM, SAGA,
ERDAS, ENVI ILWIS
Handheld ArcPad gvSIG mobile
Web Viewer ArcIMS Openlayers, Mapbuilder,
Mapbender, Mapfish
WMS, WFS ArcIMS Mapserver, Geoserver,
Mapguide OS
Spatial Database Oracle Spatial, PostGIS, (MySQL,
ArcSDE SQLite)
Virtual Globe Google Earth, Virtual OSSIM Planet, NASA
Earth WorldWind, Ratman
Libraries FME GDAL, FDO
For a more detailed comparison, see e.g., http://www.spatialserver.net/osgis/

Community: recruiting new
developers through incentives
http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Google_Summer_of_Code_2009
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
http://code.google.com/p/google-summer-of-code-2008-osgeo/

http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Geodata_Repository
OSGeo Geodata Committee & Data
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009

http://www.osgeo.org/educational_content
“enable people to teach“
OSGeo Education: Courses Gallery
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009

OSGeo meets industry: OGC and OSGeo sign
Memorandum of Understanding
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
http://www.opengeospatial.org/pressroom/pressreleases/944

Local OSGeo Chapters:
The Francophone chapter
Four main goals:
● Legal association with membership (you are welcome!)
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
● Marketing: what is OSGeo-fr - flyers, logo, website including
the Francophone wiki: http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Francophone
● Translations: OSGeo Journal in French, translated software
application documentation (e.g., QGIS documentation)
● Partnership: collaboration between OSGeo-fr and IGN-fr initiated
Info provided by Yves Jacolin
Likewise: Italy, Germany, Japan, China, … see
http://www.osgeo.org/content/chapters/

FOSS4G bookshelf: read more!
2005 http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Library
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
www.mappinghacks.com www.spatialguru.com
2008 www.grassbooks.org 2009

Conclusions
● Almost unlimited possibilities with GFOSS software
● User levels: from newcomers to power users
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
● Interoperability with other software packages, also in
heterogeneous environments
● GFOSS Quality: peer reviewed code, often with academic
background
● Support: Community – Mailing Lists, companies, freelancer, ...
Markus Neteler
Fondazione E. Mach (FEM)
Centro Ricerca e Innovazione
GIS and Remote Sensing Unit
Loc. Viote del Monte Bondone
38100 Trento, Italy
http://gis.fem-environment.eu
http://www.osgeo.org

License of this document
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/deed.en
“From a niche to a global user community:
Markus Neteler: From a niche to a global user community:
Open Source GIS and OSGeo”,
Open Source GIS and OSGeo - Nantes, 8-10 July 2009
© 2009 Markus Neteler, Italy
http://www.grassbook.org/neteler/conferences.html
[ OpenDocument file available upon request: neteler at cealp it ]
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