Re: some GIS links and comments

[Jim Westervelt]

>GRASS, like Idrisi, is limited to raster-only, is no longer free,
>and was never particularly user- or developer- friendly.  So I
>have trouble seeing advantages in pursuing this.  But that's
>only my two cents re GRASS, and perhaps someone closer
>to GRASS may care to comment?

GRASS has had a stong vector capability since about '85.  It also has 
significant image processing capabilities.

GRASS releases were ended by the parent organization - the Construction 
Engineering Research Lab a few years ago.

A new GRASS 4.2 release has been made by Baylor University.  The UNIX version, 
I believe is free with source code.  A PC port sells for about $100.  GRASS 5.0 
is scheduled for release soon by Baylor.  Their intent is to support the 
University community in this way.  Check: http://www.baylor.edu/~grass/

Source code has always been open (that is, free) for the UNIX version.  That 
has made it quite developer friendly.  Baylor is continuing this tradition.  
Their GRASS page states:  "GRASS is a public-domain raster-based GIS, vector 
GIS, image processing system, graphics production system, and spatial modeling 
system. Download our source codes and binaries for UNIX and now MS-Windows. If 
you have any questions or comments, send them to us at: address@hidden"

LAS (www.las.com) in Canada markets GRASSLAND, based on GRASS, for about $900.  
Extensive user interfaces and a powerful ability to directly read about 15 
different formats make it attractive, despite the cost.




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