2015 foss4g track: foss4g adoption in local government – opportunities and challenges by dave...

GIS in the Rockies 2015

FOSS4G Adoption in Local

Government – Opportunities and

Challenges

Dave Murray, GISP

GIS Coordinator

City of Westminster

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Abstact• Across the globe Free and Open Source for Geospatial

applications have gained increasing popularity among public and

private sectors. In America, the adoption of FOSS4G has not

been as prevalent as in Europe, Asia and South America.

Proprietary GIS vendors have served our markets well but there

may be new opportunities available to those that might consider

integrating FOSS4G into their geospatial portfolios. This

presentation will review the opportunities and impediments to

FOSS4G adoption in local government and give the attendees

options for further investigation. No prior knowledge of GIS or

FOSS4G is required, only an open mind and a sense of

adventure.

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A bit about me

• GIS Coordinator for the City of Westminster

• Lecturer at the University of Colorado at

Denver

• Background in:

– Planning

– Oil and Gas

– Mechanical Engineering

– Education

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Have you ever had this conversation?• Manager, Finance Guy/Gal, Elected Official:

“What are the alternatives to paying our

GIS software support?”

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https://www.google.com/search?site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1691&bih=903&q=ostrich+head+in+sand&oq=ostrich&gs_l=img.1.3.0l10.2289.4306.0.6138.7.6

.0.1.1.0.75.414.6.6.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..0.7.418.k3h63oEWyjs#imgrc=N6IriA-Rce9jVM%3A

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My response has been:

“There are alternatives but they will cost

and take a good deal of time.”

https://www.google.com/search?site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1873&bih=903&q=time+and+money&oq=time+and+money&gs_l=img.3..0l10.2372.647

0.0.6769.20.13.3.4.4.0.106.803.11j2.13.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..0.20.835.hxe3wOsaBjg#imgrc=9-NuSmOJ3aMmgM%3A

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• My role as GIS Coordinator

– Keep current systems and applications running

– Implement new capabilities

– Promote and train users on GIS capabilities

– Keep on top of technologies that are in

development

– Match business requirements with technologyhttps://www.google.com/search?site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1873&bih=903&q=tanker&oq=tanker&gs_l=img.3..0l10.1992.3250.0.3661.

6.6.0.0.0.0.101.249.5j1.6.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..0.6.245.6N6REhDdw7M#imgrc=KuyNbTMcPOSpeM%3A

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My investigation to alternatives to COTS GIS

https://www.google.com/search?site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1873&bih=903&q=search&oq=search&gs_l=img.3..0l10.2866.3966.0.4281.6.5.

0.1.1.0.62.269.5.5.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..0.6.272.CSa46K92EWw#imgrc=QLuogUjuHu2_OM%3A

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• COTS

– Commercial Of-The-Shelf

– It is a Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)

term

– The principal set of rules in the Federal

Acquisition Regulation System.

– FAR regulates items and services purchased

under government contracts

–Pay for product or service

–Has licensing and contracting

terms

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• Local Government (In this context)

– Municipal

– County

– Special District

– Non-Profit

– Environmental

– Consultants

– Citizen Activist

– Developing Countries

– Start-ups

– Many Others… https://www.google.com/search?site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1873&bih=903

&q=local+goverment&oq=local+goverment&gs_l=img.3..0i10l10.2522.7478.0.77

28.17.13.1.3.3.0.75.751.13.13.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..0.17.771.5lNmbtG_XeU#img

rc=4gTwLNyVyhsFpM%3A

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• Definitions

– FOSS4G

• The term FOSS4G was first coined in

early 2004 as an acronym for Free and

Open Source Software for

Geoinformatics by a research group

working on GRASS and MapServer.*

• FOSS4G has a long tradition of being

used in the context of Free and Open

Source Software for Geospatial.

*http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/FOSS4G

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• "Free software" and "open source software"

are two terms for the same thing: software

released under licenses that guarantee a

certain, specific set of freedoms.”*

*http://opensource.org/faq#free-software

https://www.google.com/search?site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1873&bih=903&q=free+software&oq=free+software&gs_l=img.3..0l10.3307.6273.0.6425.13.10.

0.3.3.0.143.648.9j1.10.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..0.13.664.inx485wg7RY#imgrc=SN3wg5KLizKg5M%3A

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Richard Stallman

• Stallman launched the GNU Project in

September 1983.

– He pioneered the concept of copyleft

• which preserves the right to use,

modify and distribute free

software,

• the GNU General Public License

(GPL), the most widely used free

software license.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Stallman

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Free/Open Source Software

• What are Stallman's four freedoms as presented on the

Free Software Foundation website; http://www.fsf.org/

– Freedom 0: The freedom to run the program for any

purpose.

– Freedom 1: The freedom to study how the program

works, and change it to make it do what you wish.

– Freedom 2: The freedom to redistribute copies so you

can help your neighbor.

– Freedom 3: The freedom to improve the program, and

release your improvements (and modified versions in

general) to the public, so that the whole community

benefits.

http://www.fsf.org/

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• Three general models for organizing

Open Source projects

– Volunteer

• Moodle – Education

• Python

– Corporate Sponsor

• Google

• Microsoft

• HP

• IBM

• Facebook

– Commercial Open Source

• Most companies – Choose your favorite

https://www.google.com/search?site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1873&bih=851&q=organization&oq=organizat&gs_l=img.1.1.0l10.10944.14281.0.15591.15

.9.3.3.3.0.143.548.7j1.8.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..1.14.576.kQIJMVOiLSg

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• FOSS4G Skills

– Server environments

– Web scripting environments

– Database administration

– Desktop configuration

– GIS Analysis

– Cartographic design

– FLEXIBILITY

– TENACITY

– CUROSITY

https://www.google.com/search?site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1208&bih=837&q=handed+to+you+on+a+silver+platter&oq=handed+to+you&gs_l=i

mg.1.0.0l2j0i5i30l5j0i24l3.7768.11964.0.17049.13.13.0.0.0.0.134.946.11j2.13.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..0.13.931.OMOA-

qnIots#imgrc=fRS_ipafHIpJiM%3A

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• Example Open Source and Non Open

Source Initiatives

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• Leading FOSS4G Example Programs – Cloud

• CartoDB

• MapBox

– Web

• Leaflet, Openlayers

– Server

• Geoserver, Mapserver

– Database

• Postgres/PostGIS

• MySQL

– Desktop

• QGIS

• gvSIG

http://2010.foss4g.org/presentations/3577.pdf

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QGIS – Verion 2.10 - Pisa

– QGIS (formerly known as Quantum GIS) is a free,

opensource and very advanced GIS program

– The project started in 2002. It has more than 35

developers and an estimated 300,000 +users

around the world today

Gary Sherman

QGIS Creator

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• What a surprise

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• QGIS in action

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• PostGres/PostGIS

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• GeoServer

• an open source server for sharing

geospatial data. Designed for

interoperability, it publishes data

from any major spatial data source

using open standards.

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• OpenLayers

– A high-performance, feature-packed

library for all your mapping needs.

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• Leaflet

– an open-source JavaScript library

for mobile-friendly interactive

maps

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• MapBox

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• CartoDB

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• IT Innovation Environment

– Organizational approach to technology

– Staff

– Flexibility

– Road Blocks

– Side projects

– Time and materials billing

– Accountability

– Mission Critical applications

– Bad experiences

https://www.google.com/search?site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1208&bih=785&q=It+innovation&oq=It+innovation&gs_l=img.3..0j0i30l3j0i24l6.2918.5258.0.5599.

13.9.0.4.4.0.160.690.8j1.9.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..0.13.721.bHb9DNfQ6Ac#imgrc=idzXdckPKh68uM%3A

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• The Times They are a Changin’

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• Training

– Google search

– GIS Stack Exchange

– Online Training classes

– YouTube

– PackT books

– Universities

– Communities – GeoSpatial Amateurs

– Consultants?

GeoAms 5/12/2015

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• Why you wouldn’t want to consider FOSS4G?

– Enterprise License Agreements

• gives you “unlimited” access to COTS software

– COTS support costs are not reviewed

– IT Department support

– You are a small shop and cannot spend the time to

investigate other solutions

– You don’ have time or money to invest in training

– You heard that FOSS4G doesn’t work

– Third Party applications require COTS integration

– Proprietary data format lock-in

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• Why you may want to consider FOSS4G?

– Your COTS vendor is charging on a per seat license

– Your IT Department is willing to support your effort

– You are a small shop and have a business reason to

investigate FOSS4G

– You believe that the FOSS4G community support system

will help you with your implementation

– The money you saved on software can be invested in

training

– You heard that FOSS4G does work

– You are interested in joining the FOSS4G community

– You require rapid scalability

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• Why you may want to consider FOSS4G?

– Independence from proprietary technology

• Mandated update cycles

– Security

• According to the Department of Homeland Security,

software security is a serious risk of using COTS software*

– Instant availability

– Develop custom products and give back to the

community

– COTS product obsolescence can require

customized support or development of a

replacement system.

*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_off-the-shelf

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Charles Rudder

“Open source GIS software, due to its

nature of being constantly updated and

improved by the user community, is much

more nimble and open to innovation. I

see it driving changes in the way GIS

software operates.”

http://opensource.com/government/12/9/geographic-information-systems-

technician

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• Consider your career viability

– FOSS4G can enhance your skills

– Marketable in multiple arenas

– Broaden your IT skills

– Build lasting friendships

– Update your Googling ability

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• How to get started?

– Read blogs and support sites

• GIS Stack Exchange

– Decide where your entry point will

be

• Server – Web – Desktop

– Decide what resources you will need

– Try some online hosted solutions

• CartoDB

• Mapbox

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• To see the LARGE LIST of open source

GIS applications that was listed here,

please visit:

• http://opensourcegis.org/.

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• Beware of Shiny Objects

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• Examples

– Denver Public Schools – Matt Baker

– Richland County, S.C. – Brian Fitzgerald

& Elijah Robinson

– Greenwood Mapping in Wyoming – Rich

Greenwood

– Consultants – David Parr and Mark Heil

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• A word about this Course

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• A word about this Course

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• “Success comes from using open source

alongside commercial solutions rather

than prescribing one model against

another.”

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http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/spring11articles/open-source-technology-and-esri.html

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• “Deciding between open source and ArcGIS

is not an either/or question. Esri encourages

users to choose a hybrid model, a

combination of open source and closed

source technology, based on their needs.”

• “The ArcGIS Desktop web help includes a list

of all open source tools, languages, and

libraries used in ArcGIS. In fact, there are

over 80 open source components, including

GDAL libraries.”

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• Thought Provoking . . .

http://www.researchgate.net/publication/228956987_Open-

source_geographic_information_systems_software_Myths_and

_realities - 2004

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Thank you

2015 foss4g track: foss4g adoption in local government – opportunities and challenges by dave...

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