Anybody here use GIS applications?

[Swamp Rat]

I've looked at GRASS, but I want to know if there is something better that will work on multiple platforms (I use Mac OS Tiger/UNIX at home, Windows XP at school). I use a commercial product by ESRI, but it works only in a Windows environment... BLEH! Plus, I need it to be a free application because I will be using it for a community-based project concerning the rebuilding of New Orleans.

[bemildred]

1. Used to do that, custom software, no help to you, but

perhaps I could help a bit (or perhaps not).
GRASS has a high learning curve, or it did the last time I looked it over.
What are your trying to do?

[Swamp Rat]

2. I need to make choropleth maps

I'd like to make dynamic, interactive choropleth maps to represent multivariate relationships.

I need powerful software that is cross-platform and free (does not have to be 'open source') because I will be working on a community-based project to help New Orleanians take an active roll in the revitalisation and sustainability of their neighborhoods. GRASS looked a bit difficult to use but I need something just as functional or better - and easy to download and start up from a single application.

I downloaded http://openosx.com/grass/ but the free version did not work. It said I needed to install X11, but I already have it installed.

[bemildred]

3. Maybe we just need to figure out how to tell it you have X installed?

Most likely it is some environment variable that needs to be set.

I'm no help with the sort of maps you are doing.

If you are sure you don't want GRASS, we can look around. It's the free
part that is going to make it tricky.

For cross platform, I tend to like free and open-source, profit interferes
with quality when things get that complicated and messy.

[Swamp Rat]

4. Strange, I was finally able to start GRASS in X11, but I did nothing to

modify it.

Anyway, I opened the program and a window opened called "GRASS 6.0.0 GIS Manager." Since I have no data or plugins there is nothing I can do with it at this time. I guess I will have to assemble my own GRASS software suite... this looks like it won't be easy.

[bemildred]

5. Data was always the problem. The software is not rocket science.

I guess you would need LA stuff. The government has lots of good stuff, which is cheap or free, if they will give it to you at all (you might be a terrist!). Given your situation, I would think you might be able to work it out.

And there are commercial sites that will sell you elevation models and vector data and geographically registered scanned maps and so on. Then you have the job of pasting your data on top.

That was the thing with GRASS, it did all kinds of stuff, but like most things that are really powerful, it was messy. We already had our own software to display our own data sets, so we never got into it. Some of our clients, who did not want to pay us for development (we were expensive), did some work with it and had good results. It's a matter of putting some time in.

[Lowell]

6. We use ArcGIS

at work. It is unfortunately a windoze based program and subject to hanging up.

I have never heard of GRASS, but I am looking forward to checking it out at home. It should be pretty easy to download the data needed and convert it to be used with whatever application is available.

[Swamp Rat]

7. I am using AcrView 9.1 at school

I prefer a more intuitive interface, so I am not thrilled with it. Plus, I don't like using Windows at all. Tiger OS X is an awesome GUI and X11 lets me use open source UNIX-based software. :)

[Lowell]

8. I like ArcView

but like you say it is not very intuitive. It is very linear and has to be done in a set way or results can be downright weird. I'm using it on Windoze. I use Windows PC, Mac Panther and Unix at work. I don't like either Windoze or Mac to be honest. Windows is unstable and Macs are too restrictive. The Sparc 10 Sun station is my favorite. At home I use SuSE 10. I installed Grass last night, but haven't had a chance to play with it yet.

[Swamp Rat]

9. Let me know your opinion on GRASS. n/t