This document provides an overview of free and open source GIS software. It discusses what open source GIS is, including the four basic freedoms it provides. It outlines some major open source GIS projects like QGIS, GRASS, PostGIS, GeoServer, and OpenLayers. The document explains why one would use and teach open source GIS, including low costs, community support, and driving innovation. It also addresses some common misconceptions about open source GIS software.

1. Free and Open Source GIS
an introduction to open-source
spatial software/GIS

2. What is Free &Open Source GIS?
Why use Free Open Source GIS?
Why teach Free open source GIS?
Different types of Free open Source GIS
Misconceptions about Free Open Source
GIS

3. What is Free &open source GIS?
 The freedom to use the software, for any
purpose.
 The freedom to study how the software
works and to change / adapt it to fit your
needs.
 The freedom to redistribute copies.
 The freedom to distribute copies of your
modified software to others, allowing the
community to benefit from your changes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Stallman

4. FOSS4G:
Free and Open
Source
Software for
Geospatial
OSGEO:
The Open
Source
Geospatial
Foundation
http://opensourcegis.org/

5. Why Use Open Source GIS?
Supported by huge development & support
community
Community is very passionate about helping each
other and continually improving software
Low start-up costs
It is now possible to install a complete GIS stack
without paying a cent - LEGALLY
Security
Arguably more secure than proprietary software
Backed by large development community
Complex Bugs are found and fixed quickly

6. Why Use Open Source GIS? (cont’d)
Works on all major platforms (Mac, Linux, Windows)
Nothing is missing,
Desktop GIS, Spatial Database Storage, Server...
Tons of analysis tools (No licensing worries)
Community developed add-ons
Works with existing GIS data
Import .shp files, most major formats
Export to most major formats
Support all Major file formats
Vector formats and Raster Formats(Import and
Export or directly works on the base format)

7. Why Teach Open Source GIS?
1. Basic exploration on GIS Software's and
Projects
2. Becoming an increasingly necessary job skill,
Companies with existing GIS(Packages) are
interested in using open source GIS software's
3.Makes GIS marketable to smaller firms and
non-profits
4. Drives innovation, through sharing of
knowledge & source code
5. Code is open and human-readable for
developers.

8. The Stack of Free GIS
Free Alternatives For Your GIS Needs
Quantum GIS - Desktop GIS
http://www.qgis.org/
GRASS - (Geographic Resources Analysis Support System)
http://grass.osgeo.org/
PostgreSQL/ PostGIS - Spatial Database
http://www.postgresql.org/
http://postgis.refractions.net/
GeoServer - Server for Online Publishing/ Data Sharing
http://geoserver.org/display/GEOS/Welcome
OpenLayers - Web Application Programming Interface (API)
http://openlayers.org/
MapServer
http://mapserver.org/
There are many more options, but these are good so far.

9. Open GIS Desktop Software's

10. Quantum GIS (QGIS)
Desktop application – very user friendly
Can work directly with .shp file, and too many to list
Any Platform – Windows, Mac, Linux
FREE
Plugins available (Similar to Firefox add-ons)
Allow spatial analysis, 3-D analysis, statistical analysis...
User interface for GRASS tools. (Default)
PostGIS interface. (Default)
Map Server export(Default)
www.qgis.org

11. GRASS
Geographic Resources Analysis Support System
GRASS is developed by a worldwide network of
developers who continue to release new GRASS versions
regularly.
GRASS is used for used for geospatial data management
and analysis, image processing, graphics/map production,
spatial modelling, and visualization.
http://grass.osgeo.org/community/index.php
http://grass.osgeo.org/gdp/html_grass64/helptext.html

12. GRASS
Geographic Resources Analysis Support System
Geospatial data management
Analysis
Image processing
Graphics/maps production
Spatial modeling
Visualization
Tons of tools + functions = Very complex analysis
Now there's a simple user interface through QGIS
GRASS is an official project of the Open Source Geospatial Foundation.
http://grass.osgeo.org/

13. GDAL
GDAL is a translator
library for raster
geospatial data
formats...
It also comes with a
variety of useful
command line utilities
for data translation
and processing.

14. With GDAL tools you can:
Report information about a file.
Copy a raster file, with control of
output format.
Warp an image into a new
coordinate system.
Contours from DEM.
Tools to analyze and visualize DEMs.
Build a quick mosaic from a set of
images.
Rasterize vectors into raster file.
Transform coordinates.

15. Free Open GIS Databases

16. PostgreSQL + PostGIS
PostgreSQL is a powerful, open source object-relational
database system
good spatial database
Conforms to Open Geospatial Consortium standards
(ArcSDE can connect to it)
Secure storage for both spatial and non spatial data
Column level permissions granularity
PostGIS "spatially enables" the PostgreSQL server, allowing it to
be used as a backend spatial database for (GIS), much like
ESRI's SDE
http://www.opengeospatial.org/standards

17. Spatial Lite
• The SpatiaLite extension enables SQLite to
support spatial data too [aka GEOMETRY], in a
way conformant to Open GIS specifications.
• Supports all spatial data formats with open
GIS specifications
• supports importing and exporting from /
to shape files

18. Free open source Web GIS

19. The Procedure
Web GIS(Open
Source)
http://opengeo.org/publications/opengeo-architecture/

20. Map Server
MapServer is an Open Source geographic data rendering engine
written in C. Beyond browsing GIS data, MapServer allows you
create “geographic image maps”, that is, maps that can direct
users to content.
MapServer was originally developed by the University of
Minnesota (UMN) For Net project in cooperation with NASA,
A map file may have zero, one or more OUTPUTFORMAT object
declarations, defining available output formats supported
including formats like PNG, GIF, JPEG, GeoTIFF, SVG, PDF and
KML.
http://mapserver.org/#

21. OpenLayers
JavaScript Library, including API
Similar to Google Maps API
Makes building dynamic mapping webpages
VERY easy
Provides the tools needed to easily add a
map to a webpage
Allows overlaying your own data
Can display map tiles and markers loaded
from any source
http://openlayers.org/

22. Common Misconceptions about Open
Source GIS Software
• Not robust application.
• No Commercial Support.
• Opposite to proprietary
Packages/ Software's.
• No regional/specific support.
• Incompatible.
• substandard compared to
proprietary software

23. Now What?
Quantum GIS is a great place to start…
If you've ever used a GIS, you'll feel right at home!
http://qgis.org/
QGIS Tutorial
http://qgis.spatialthoughts.com/
Windows users start with OSGeo4W
http://trac.osgeo.org/osgeo4w/

24. Tutorials / User Guides
QGIS: http://qgis.org/en/documentation/manuals.html
OpenLayers, and more:
http://www.bostongis.com/
PostGIS:
http://postgis.refractions.net/documentation/manual-1.3/
GeoServer: http://docs.geoserver.org/1.7.x/user/
GRASS: http://grass.osgeo.org/wiki/GRASS_Help
MapServer:http://mapserver.org/introduction.html#introduction