Open source soft ware is a relatively novel concept that has started dominating not only the IT SECTOR but also spatial information system like GIS. In a broad sense open source technology has almost replaced the licensed soft wares with its redistributive and collaborative nature. Nothing in open source sector defines more than how passionately we go about innovating things. But still a fallacious thought which exists about open source is that it requires enormous programming skills than the normal licensed software. But this is not true. There are open source soft wares which are compatible with c and c++. A basic programming knowledge is the need of the hour. When mankind has learnt to fly, build tunnels through mountains and under the sea and transport itself into space at will, open source is not far behind.
Yes, it’s true! A degree of skepticism in my mind about open source was obliterated by this extensive lecture on open source who was instrumental in devising a ‘Business GIS Application’.
It was a normal Friday morning not much to ponder about as our semester started just 4 days before. We were in our GIS labs when we were instructed by our professor to head towards the auditorium. It was exhilaration all around! Of course the very thought of relieved from the normal classes all through the day added to our zeal.
A PhD student from University of Ireland (correct me if I’m wrong), an extensive user of Open source GIS packages Mrs. Easwari Shivanyanam appeared on the dais to share her experiences on the exemplary nature of open source technology in developing a Business GIS Application for a company in Srilanka.
Albeit it may not be possible for me to focus more on the technical side of this workshop , I would like to state the problems which she explained us and the solutions for the same.
PROJECT: DEVELOPMENT OF A BUSINESS GIS APPLICATION WHICH IS COST EFFECTIVE AND ALSO EFFICIENT.
INDUSTRY: RETAIL INDUSTRY
WHY GIS, WHEN WE HAVE A NORMAL BUSINESS DATABASE?
· To ameliorate the problems faced by the sales representatives in reaching the destination.
· A map can speak in volumes than the normal textual content.
· To convey the info to the head office once a product is sold.
· It can be updated in the database immediately.
USES
· To fathom the hotspot analysis in a buffer
· Cluster analysis, Trend analysis of a product over a few years in an area, route updating and land use changes.
· This can facilitate the companies to compare their improvement over the years.
· GPRS enabled mobile printer can be utilized for immediate generation of bills and a facsimile can be transferred to the head office through a palmtop.
· Shortest path algorithms : to guide the sales rep
· Track of the sales rep through out the day.
· A clear map can alleviate ambiguous situations and repeated visits to a particular street.
· It can also be a great use in finding how much distance a sales rep has covered in a day, in a month and so on and what’s his output.
PROBLEM IN THE CASE STUDY
It should be customer specific. In this case the company was highly benefited by the Business application involving GIS as the sales representatives were able to send instant SMS to head office in case of lack of products. Every new shop where the product is sold is updated in the map. The regional manager should be able to keep track of everything sold in his region.
All the maps given were in Map info format (as mentioned in the lecture). No money would be spent on the software development except a single PC. So Open source soft wares were a blessing in disguise! Open street maps were utilized extensively.
SOFT WARES USED: QGIS, POSTGIS WITH POST GRESQL,
R- STATISTICAL PACKAGE.
APPLICATION DESIGN
The basic requirement of the customer was ‘create and edit capability’ of the application. They had also opted for Google map interface. So that was taken as the base map. Further thematic maps were generated. Last but not least a genteel appearance.
Two basic methods used were
1. What if analysis.
2. Optimal route calculation.
The former had a significant use when a polygon had to be removed and the same situation has to be faced. From my understanding I can put it like this…
What if a particular road is blocked and the product has to reach the destination somehow. So an aliter has to be visualized for the destination which is highly possible with GIS in hand.
The afternoon session focused more on the various open source soft wares, brief hints on many. It was an application which juxtaposed many open source soft wares.
Of course it would have really been knotty task in bringing everything to one platform. I have given below a few sites which were mentioned in the lecture session.
· http://www.mapserver.org/
· http://www.postgresql.org/
· OGC
· GDAL
· http://www.spatialreference.org/
· Refraction.net
· TIDAC.CH-(IN CHENNAI) - A company which designed the Tamil Nadu govt. website.
· Unsusthnic.in
Yes, it’s true! A degree of skepticism in my mind about open source was obliterated by this extensive lecture on open source who was instrumental in devising a ‘Business GIS Application’.
It was a normal Friday morning not much to ponder about as our semester started just 4 days before. We were in our GIS labs when we were instructed by our professor to head towards the auditorium. It was exhilaration all around! Of course the very thought of relieved from the normal classes all through the day added to our zeal.
A PhD student from University of Ireland (correct me if I’m wrong), an extensive user of Open source GIS packages Mrs. Easwari Shivanyanam appeared on the dais to share her experiences on the exemplary nature of open source technology in developing a Business GIS Application for a company in Srilanka.
Albeit it may not be possible for me to focus more on the technical side of this workshop , I would like to state the problems which she explained us and the solutions for the same.
PROJECT: DEVELOPMENT OF A BUSINESS GIS APPLICATION WHICH IS COST EFFECTIVE AND ALSO EFFICIENT.
INDUSTRY: RETAIL INDUSTRY
WHY GIS, WHEN WE HAVE A NORMAL BUSINESS DATABASE?
· To ameliorate the problems faced by the sales representatives in reaching the destination.
· A map can speak in volumes than the normal textual content.
· To convey the info to the head office once a product is sold.
· It can be updated in the database immediately.
USES
· To fathom the hotspot analysis in a buffer
· Cluster analysis, Trend analysis of a product over a few years in an area, route updating and land use changes.
· This can facilitate the companies to compare their improvement over the years.
· GPRS enabled mobile printer can be utilized for immediate generation of bills and a facsimile can be transferred to the head office through a palmtop.
· Shortest path algorithms : to guide the sales rep
· Track of the sales rep through out the day.
· A clear map can alleviate ambiguous situations and repeated visits to a particular street.
· It can also be a great use in finding how much distance a sales rep has covered in a day, in a month and so on and what’s his output.
PROBLEM IN THE CASE STUDY
It should be customer specific. In this case the company was highly benefited by the Business application involving GIS as the sales representatives were able to send instant SMS to head office in case of lack of products. Every new shop where the product is sold is updated in the map. The regional manager should be able to keep track of everything sold in his region.
All the maps given were in Map info format (as mentioned in the lecture). No money would be spent on the software development except a single PC. So Open source soft wares were a blessing in disguise! Open street maps were utilized extensively.
SOFT WARES USED: QGIS, POSTGIS WITH POST GRESQL,
R- STATISTICAL PACKAGE.
APPLICATION DESIGN
The basic requirement of the customer was ‘create and edit capability’ of the application. They had also opted for Google map interface. So that was taken as the base map. Further thematic maps were generated. Last but not least a genteel appearance.
Two basic methods used were
1. What if analysis.
2. Optimal route calculation.
The former had a significant use when a polygon had to be removed and the same situation has to be faced. From my understanding I can put it like this…
What if a particular road is blocked and the product has to reach the destination somehow. So an aliter has to be visualized for the destination which is highly possible with GIS in hand.
The afternoon session focused more on the various open source soft wares, brief hints on many. It was an application which juxtaposed many open source soft wares.
Of course it would have really been knotty task in bringing everything to one platform. I have given below a few sites which were mentioned in the lecture session.
· http://www.mapserver.org/
· http://www.postgresql.org/
· OGC
· GDAL
· http://www.spatialreference.org/
· Refraction.net
· TIDAC.CH-(IN CHENNAI) - A company which designed the Tamil Nadu govt. website.
· Unsusthnic.in
Thanks to Mrs. Easwari who motivated us so much andshared so many experiences in this domain. I might have missed out some technical specifications in the lecture. I welcome the points and looking forward eagerly to upload them in this post.
very nice aishu...keep up....
ReplyDeleteHi Sivani
ReplyDeletehow were those links . i didnt venture them out..
Did u ??