NetNews Usenet Archive 1993 #3/NN_1993_3.iso/spool/comp/infosyst/gis/5053

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Newsgroups: comp.infosystems.gis
Path: sparky!uunet!ukma!darwin.sura.net!newsserver.jvnc.net!adx.adelphi.edu!abraxas!lingling
From: [e-mail] (Lisa Nyman)
Subject: GIS FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions 1-27-93
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Sender: [e-mail] (USENET News System)
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Organization: Adelphi University
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 20:35:01 GMT
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GIS FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions and General Info List (Long! 880)
Periodic Posting to GIS-l and comp.infosystems.gis
Note: Also, I'm still working on typos.
New: Updated sites for GRASS and the ncgia; spatiotemporal bibliog,
    gis definitions, grass on PC under linux.

               GIS FAQ List (93-01-27)


This is the list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) about Geographic
Information Systems (GIS) along with answers to these questions.  This
FAQ is posted as a resource to the `comp.infosystems.gis' newsgroup
which is connected to the GISL LISTSERVER mailing list.

Netiquette
----------

If someone asks a FAQ, please e-mail the answer instead of posting.
You should also include information on how to access the FAQ. (see
question 1)

If you have information that you think should be included in the FAQ,
please e-mail the information to Lisa Nyman <[e-mail]> or
Virgil Sealy <[e-mail]>.  Feel free to discuss the
information on the net to get a consinsus as to how canonnical the
answer is.

If you believe that some information in the FAQ is wrong, please e-mail
us.  We don't want the FAQ to generate more postings than it saves! We
are not the authors of much of this information, only the compilers.  Credit
is given for contributing information gotten from the Net.
We will work with you and the author to resolve the issue.


--
Lisa Nyman   <[e-mail]>
Virgil Sealy <[e-mail]>

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Index
-----

1:    How do I get the FAQ list?
2:    What is the difference between the newsgroup and listserv?
3:    What are the major vendors, e-mail addresses, and addresses?
4:    What colleges and universities offer coursework in GIS?
5:    What public domain GIS software is available and where is it?
6:    What are the NCGIA anon ftp sites and what can be found there?
7:    What are the United States map accuracy standards?
8:    What is the Vector Product Format and where can I get information?
9:    What is this SDTS thing?
10:   How do I order USGS maps?
11.   What are some other related mailing lists, ftp sites and internet
    addresses for useful resources?
12.   What are some books available on GIS?
13.   Where can I get a copy of that SpatioTemporal Bibliography?
14.   What in the world is a 'GIS'?
15.   Will GRASS run on my PC under LINUX?

----------------------------------------------------------------------

1:   How do I get the FAQ list?

     This list is posted to the comp.infosystems.gis and news.answers
     newsgroups on a monthly basis.  The most current version is available
     via anonymous FTP on the system abraxas.adelphi.edu in the file
     pub/gis/FAQ

----------------------------------------------------------------------

2:   What is the difference between the newsgroup and listserv?

     The newsgroup comp.infosystems.gis is a Usenet special intrest news
     distribution scheme that allows individuals with access to Usenet
     to read and post articles.  The system is somewhat like e-mail
     but involves a network of news 'feeds' that pass the news along.

     The listserv system is a mailing list of e-mail addresses which
     allows members to send messages to the GIS-L mailing list.  The
     GIS-L mailing list consistes of a large number of people
     interested in GIS who receive GIS related articles using their
     normal e-mail software.  The GIS-L mailing list is maintained by
     the listserv software and by the human David Mark who is the
     manager of the GIS-L mailing list.

     Articles sent to either of the above will be sent to the other so
     there is no need to post to both groups.

     PLEASE NOTE:  IF YOU READ GIS-L AND REPLY USING 'R', YOUR
                   MESSAGE IS SENT TO THE ENTIRE LIST, NOT JUST
                   THE ORIGINAL SENDER OF THE LETTER.

     It is important that people remember that messages to GIS-L end
     up on Usenet and those with Usenet access should read new user
     information in the news.announce.newusers group.  Do not send
     individual information requests to the list, for example,
     "Hey, can I get a copy of that, too!".  One highlight to note
     is that while product information can be valuable to a group, please
     post only one article per product, as this should not become a
     commercial advertisement center.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

3:   What are e-mail and paper addresses of some vendors?


     Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI)
     380 New York Street,
     Redlands, CA USA 92373
     [phone]
     [e-mail]

     For Help with ESRI products, you can send email to the above
     address.  In correspondence be sure to include your name,
     organization, system, OS revision, ARC revision and your ESRI
     client number (if you know it).

     ------------

     GeoVision

     GeoVision's email address: [e-mail] (or
     @geovision.gvc.com).  If you don't know who you want (as was the
     case with the original poster) try `postmaster'.

     For a complete USMail address list of GIS and mapping vendors, consult
     the GIS Sourcebook (annual) from GIS World Magazine.

     ------------

     Syetem 9

     email contact: [e-mail]  (Arthur Berrill - Toronto Office)

     -----------

     Ingres (Intelligent DataBase), An ASK Company
     (this may be of new interest here because of the ability to define
      data types in the database, such as polygon, line, etc )

     1080 Marina Village Parkway
     Alameda, CA  94501-1041
     510-769-1400  or (NA only) 1-800-4-INGRES

     Ingres' email address: [e-mail]
     A volunteer address for referals: [e-mail]
----------------------------------------------------------------------

4:   What colleges and universities offer coursework in GIS?

     Many schools throughout the world offer coursework in GIS and
     related studies in different academic departments including
     Geography, Computer Science, and Urban Planning among others.

     Sources of Information:

     1.  Geo Info Systems May 1992, Academic GIS Directory: GIS in
         Higher Education.

     This is a list compiled by John Morgan with Barbara Fleury
     (Towson State University) which includes courses offered by
     University departments all over the world.  Listing are by
     University, department type, and by state and country.
     Information in the listings include course titles, school
     addresses and persons to contact.

     2.  Guides to Geography Departments, annual publication
         of the AAG.

     This publications provides graduate and undergraduate programs
     for geography departments at US and Canadian Universities. Info
     provided includes faculty, program options and requirements,
     and lab facilities.

     Contact the AAG, 1710 16th Str NW, Washington DC 20009-3198
     for ordering information.  AAG phone: [phone] BITNET:
     AAG@GWUVM

     Note:  Many faculty participate in Usenet and listserv
     discussions and are directly accessible via Email.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

5:   What public domain or shareware GIS software is available
     and where is it?

     ----------

     GRASS

     >From: [e-mail] (paul friberg)

     First let me post an anonymous ftp address where people can grab
     the latest version of the GRASS GIS (V 4.0). It's at

            moon.cecer.army.mil  (129.229.20.254)

     under pub/grass. This is a great public domain GIS for anyone
     wishing to get started in this area. It comes complete with a full
     database containing SPOT, DEM and other interesting data sets.

     ----------

     PC MOSS

     PC MOSS can be found on csn.org [128.138.213.21] in the /COGS/MOSS
     directory.

     Contact: Bill Thoen <[e-mail]>

     ----------

     Arc Digitised Raster Graphics (ARDG)

     >From: [e-mail] (John Schuster)

     Code for viewing ADRG (Arc Digitised Raster Graphics) files is
     available on the GRIPS II CD-ROM. The U.S. Army Engineer
     Topographic Labs (Juan Perez) gave me permission to post the code
     on the net, so I've posted adrg.zip to spectrum.xerox.com.  The
     GRIPS II (Gov. Raster Image Processing Software) CD-ROM is
     available from CD-ROM Inc. at 1-800-821-5245 for $49.  Special
     thanks to Peter Z. Simpson for pointing this out.

     __________

     OZ GIS

     (from OZ GIS distribution materials)
     OzGIS is a software system for displaying geographically referenced
     data, such as Census data, as maps and diagrams on screens, printers
     and plotters.

     Digitised map data (e.g.Census boundaries, GIS) and attribute data
     (e.g. sales, environmental) are accepted as Ascii files and preprocessed
     (e.g. amalgamation, line thinning, polygon construction, subsetting)
     before display. Maps of polygons, lines and points can be displayed
     according to one or two attributes along with various overlays. About 80
     provide extensive options for interactively designing the layout and
     appearance of the map, and for attribute handling, classification,
     interrogation and saving maps.  Maps can be output on plotters,
     printers and various file types.
     OzGIS is distributed as a "shareware" system.
     OzGIS is very extensive, (it is the product of over ten man-years effort),
     but also very cheap at A$100.

     OzGIS is available for evaluation via anonymous ftp from:
     Either Internet: [128.214.87.1]    garbo.uwasa.fi
     Or     Internet: [192.88.110.20]   WSMR-SIMTEL20.Army.Mil

----------------------------------------------------------------------

6:   What are the NCGIA anon ftp sites and what can be found there?

     >From Richard Johnson <[e-mail]>:

     The NCGIA and UCSB (National Center for Geographic Information and
     Analysis at U. C. Santa Barbara) now has a publicly available FTP
     area in which are located various Technical Reports as well as our
     Annual Reports.

     To access this information, "FTP" to "ncgia.ucsb.edu"
     (128.111.105.65) as the user "anonymous" with any password, and
     "cd" into the "pub" directory.  In the "pub" directory the
     organization is as follows:

     Initiatives     - Papers/Reports related to specific initiatives which
                       are not considered "Technical Reports".

     annual-reports  - NCGIA annual reports in both plain text and
                       postscript form.

     new-reports     - Temporary repository for new reports being submitted
                       for public FTP from ncgia.ucsb.edu.

     tech-reports    - Selected NCGIA Technical Reports in both plain text
                       and postscript form.

     dems            - USGS CTOG DEM files.  (From Mark Kumler)

     etc             - Other random programs and files which are being made
                       available for public FTP.

     Some directories have subdirectories of "text" and "postscript".
     When these are present, they contain the papers/reports in plain
     ascii text and in Adobe Postscript(*) forms respectively.

     Under tech-reports/text and tech-reports/postscript there are
     plain text and postscript forms of the Publication list (named
     "pub-list.txt" and "pub-list.ps" respectively).  These can be used
     to determine the publication number.  Then the publication can be
     retrieved using that number to locate the file.

     Some technical reports have separate "title" and "body" sections.
     Both of these should be retrieved and the "title" section should
     be placed before the "body" section after printing.  Some
     technical reports have whole subdirectories.  In this case, all
     files in the subdirectory should be retrieved, printed, and
     ordered according to the numerical sequence of the filename.

     Some papers available are:

     88-6    COGNITIVE AND LINGUISTIC ASPECTS OF GEOGRAPHIC SPACE:  REPORT
         ON A WORKSHOP
     89-1    Accuracy of Spatial Databases: Initiative 1 Specialist Meeting
         Report
     90-10   Language, Cognitive Science, and Geographic Information Systems
     90-9    A Spatial Decision Support System For Bank Location
     91-1    Fractal Geometry and Spatial Phenomena
     91-12   GIS Laboratory Excercises: Volume 1
     91-19   The Use of a Geographic Information System for Second-Order
         Analysis
             of Spatial Point Patterns
     91-20   The NCGIA Guide to Laboratory Materials - 1991
     91-22   Bibliography on Animation of Spatial Data: A Guide to Literature,
             Video and Movie Media
     91-24   German GIS/LIS Standards
     91-26   Initiative 7 Specialist Meeting:  Visualization of Spatial Data
         Quality
             (This paper is incomplete currently and has been known to be
             unprintable in postscript form on some postscript printers.)

     These are available in both postscript and ascii text form.  All
     of them were produced on a Mac, so the best form in which to read
     them would be postscript, however the textual form should be
     usable for a quick reference or if you don't have access to a
     postscript printer.

     All of these documents are also available via the WAIS system also
     under "NCGIA Technical Reports".  For more information about WAIS,
     FTP to quake.think.com where the software distribution is kept.


     If you have questions/comments/complaints, please direct them to
     the Email address <[e-mail]>

----------------------------------------------------------------------

7:   What are the United States map accuracy standards?

     >From: [e-mail] (Robert White)

     United States National Map Accuracy Standards

     With a view to the utmost economy and expedition in producing maps
     which fulfill not only the broad needs for standard or principal
     maps, but also the reasonable particular needs of individual
     agencies, standards of accuracy for published maps are defined as
     follows:

     1.  Horizontal Accuracy.  For maps on publication scales larger
     than 1:20,000, not more than 10 percent of the points tested shall
     be in error by more than 1/30 inch, measured on the publication
     scale; for maps on publication scales of 1:20,000 or smaller, 1/50
     inch.  These limits of accuracy shall apply in all cases to
     positions of well-defined points only.  Well-defined points are
     those that are easily visible or recoverable on the ground, such
     as the following:  monuments or markers, such as bench marks,
     property boundary monuments, intersections of roads, railroads,
     etc.; corners of large buildings or structures (or center points
     of small buildings); etc.  In general what is well defined will
     also be determined by what is plottable on the scale of the map
     with 1/100 inch.  Thus while the intersection of two road or
     property lines meeting at right angles would come within a
     sensible interpretation, identification of the intersection of
     such lines meeting at an acute angle would obviously not be
     practicable within 1/100 inch.  Similarly, features not
     identifiable upon the ground within close limits are not to be
     considered as test points within the limits quoted, even though
     their positions may be scaled closely upon the map.  In this class
     would come timber lines, soil boundaries, etc.

     2.  Vertical Accuracy, as applied to contour maps on all
     publication scales, shall be such that not more than 10 percent of
     the elevations tested shall be in error more than one-half the
     contour interval.  In checking elevations taken from the map, the
     apparent vertical error may be decreased by assuming a horizontal
     displacement within the permissible horizontal error for a map of
     that scale.  3. The accuracy of any map may be tested by comparing
     the positions of points whose locations or elevations are shown
     upon it with corresponding positions as determined by surveys of a
     higher accuracy.  Tests shall be made by the producing agency,
     which shall also determine which of its maps are to be tested, and
     the extent of such testing.

     4.  Published maps meeting these accuracy requirements shall note
     this fact on their legends, as follows:  "This map complies with
     National Map Accuracy Standards."

     5. Published maps whose errors exceed those aforestated shall omit
     from their legends all mention of standard accuracy.

     6.  When a published map is a considerable enlargement of a map
     drawing (manuscript) or of a published map, that fact shall be
     stated in the legend.  For example, "This map is an enlargement of
     a 1:20,000-scale map drawing," or "This map is an enlargement of a
     1:24,000-scale published map."

     7. To facilitate ready interchange and use of basic information
     for map construction among all federal map making agencies,
     manuscript maps and published maps, wherever economically feasible
     and consistent with the uses to which the map is to be put, shall
     conform to latitude and longitude boundaries, being 15 minutes of
     latitude and longitude, or 7.5 minutes or 3-3/4 minutes in size.

     US Bureau of the Budget

     Issued June 10, 1941
     Revised April 26, 1943
     Revised June 17, 1947

----------------------------------------------------------------------

8:   What is the Vector Product Format and where can I get information?

     > From: [e-mail] (Thomas Misek)

     The document that lists the format & form of the Vector Product
     Format is:

    Military Standard
    Vector Product Format
    MIL-STD-600006
    13 April 1992

     This 200+ page doctument has a complete discription of the
     format.

     I received mine from:

    DMA (PRS)
    8613 Lee Highway
    Fairfax, Virginia 22031-2137

    [phone]       -    I'm not sure about this phone, I
                                  wrote them.

     Since the VPF has been created as a means for transmitting digital
     geographic databases, I, for one, would be interested in any
     programs that make use of the format.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

9:  What is this SDTS thing?

     > from: esri!marlow![e-mail] (Peter Aronson)

    SDTS is a large complex standard, including many elements not
    contained in most other transfer standards: a feature coding system
    with thousands of codes; data quality information (although DIGEST and
    VPF both also can carry this); a complete attribute data dictionary
    (required for attributes that are not part of the built-in feature
    coding system).
       Where most standards will specify a standard way of representing a
    spatial object, SDTS usually species half a dozen.  For example,
    lines:
    Lines can be represented using X,Y coordinates, X,Y,Z coordinates or
    as sequences of other linear features, including curves.  They may be
    specified as planar or nonplanar.  They may have left/right polygon
    information and they may have start and end node information, both, or
    neither.  (And unfortunately, since SDTS node objects are allowed (but
    not required) to have a coordinate, it is unclear whether the first
    and last coordinate of a line with node information is stored on the
    node only, or is redundantly stored on the line as well).
        SDTS was at one time clearly intended to be a US-only standard: an
    earlier version of the standard only allowed Lat/Long, UTM and State
    Plane coordinate systems.  However, it now allows additional
    transformations to be defined using projection information (either by
    storing projection parameters as attribute, with their meaning stored
    in the data dictionary (not to be confused with graphic codes which
    also can have their meaning stored in the data dictionary)), or by
    using sets of transformation points (rubber-sheeting is left as an
    exercise for the reader).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

10:  How do I order USGS maps?

    It's easy.  Just call (in the US) 1-800-USA-MAPS

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

11:  What are some other related mailing lists, ftp sites and internet
     addresses for useful resources?

Internet Resources [and bitnet lists] for GIS/CARTO/Earth Science
by Bill Thoen

[Ed's note: This list has been shortened **a lot** in the interest
                of space.  A full version is available by anonymous FTP to
                csn.org in the COGS directory.  Much climatology and
                geology has been deleted.  Disclaimer deleted
                but still implied. LN 8-26-92]

Usenet News Groups (excluding c.i.gis)
------------------------------------
1. comp.graphics              Graphics, image processing
2. sci.geo.fluids             Oceanography
3. sci.geo.geology            Geology
4. sci.geo.meteorology        Meteorology
5. alt.planning.urban         Urban planning (often gis discussions)

Bitnet Discussion Lists
------------------------------------
ACDGIS-LWIIMC12.BITNET Regional GIS discussions for German-speaking countries
      Topics include GIS, CACartography, Remote Sensing and Image
      Processing as related to GIS, Geo-Statistics.
      list owner:  Zoltan Daroczy
      Dept. of Geography
      University of Economics and Business Adminstration
      Vienna:  [e-mail]

[e-mail]
      ASTRA is a joint database project of the IBM Europe and the Italian
      Council of Research, located in Pisa (italy). It is accessible from an
      EARN (or BITNET (?)) node, you have to install the ASTRA client software.
      The services are free, the questions and the answers are interactive
      messages or can be sent via the EARN mail function.
            **To get information about the service:
           VM/CMS Users:  TELL ASTRADB AT ICNUCEVM GET ASTRA INFO
           VAX/VMS Users: SEND ASTRADB@ICNUCEVM GET ASTRA INFO
            **To get help about using the server:
           VM/CMS Users:  TELL ASTRADB AT ICNUCEVM HELP
           VAX/VMS Users: SEND ASTRADB@ICNUCEVM HELP
            **To get the user interface:
           VM/CMS Users:  TELL ASTRADB AT ICNUCEVM GET ASTRA EXEC
           VAX/VMS Users: SEND ASTRADB@ICNUCEVM ASTRAVAX

      To share ideas and experiences, a news group is established
      on LISTSERV@ICNUCEVM. To subscribe to the group send the message
      SUB ASTRA-UG  your full name to LISTSERV@ICNUEVM

[e-mail]    Coatsal GIS discussion list
      (note:  not everybody can get this one it seems, but it has been
      confirmed as of March 14, 1992)

[e-mail]     Geography, Geology, Town and Regional
                             Planning, Meteorology
      This moderated list will discuss all aspects of
      CAL/CBT/CAI/CML within the Centre's 'community' of Geography, Geology,
      Town and Regional Planning and Meteorology.
                        SUBSCRIBE GEOCAL Firstname Surname
      You should send this message to [e-mail].

[e-mail]    Geography
      GEOGRAPHy is an experimental BULLETIN BOARD and DISCUSSION FORUM
      for academic geography - faculty, students and other persons
      having interests in the field of modern geographic research.

[e-mail]          Geographic Information Systems
[e-mail]

[e-mail]        GIS User Interface issues

[e-mail]  IDIRISI Discussion list
      IDRISI-L is supported by the Department of Geography and
      Environmental Planning at Towson State University (Baltimore).
      To subscribe, send a one line message (SUBSCRIBE IDRISI-L) to
      [e-mail] or [e-mail]
      Contact the department: Jay Morgan  E7G4MOR@TOWSONVX
      Towson State Univ.  Baltimore, MD 21204-7097   ph: 410-830-2864

[e-mail]     Image Processing of Remotely Sensed data

[e-mail]          Maps and Air Photos (mostly concerns map
[e-mail]      catalogger's and map librarian's issues)

[e-mail]        GIS
       The GIS Mailing List is maintained by the ESRC Midlands Regional
       Research Laboratory at the University of Leicester.
       If you would like to be added to this list, please send an e-mail
       to [e-mail]. You will then be kept up to date with
       current "goings on" in GIS. Each month, a revised list is also sent
       out.

Anonymous FTP Sites
----------------------------------------------
csn.org                       [128.138.213.21]
      directory: COGS
      Contains COGS diskettes and other software collected from
      COGSnet BBS including geologic, gis, mapping, earth science
      software for the PC and Macintosh.
      Contact: Bill Thoen  [e-mail]  (internet)

charon.er.usgs.gov            [130.118.120.30]
  pub/proj-3.1.tar.Z      - cartographic projection package (Unix C)
  pub/mapgen-4.2.tar.Z    - MAPGEN digital cartographic software system (Unix)
  pub/graphics-4.6.tar.Z  - PLOTGEN plotting package for use with MAPGEN
  pub/xzoom-2.01.tar.Z    - interactive vector graphics display program for
                            use with MAPGEN and PLOTGEN (Unix/X11)
  pub/GCTP-II.tar.Z       - most recent version of the GCTP map projection
                            software (FORTRAN)

ftp.cs.toronto.edu            [128.100.1.105]
  doc/geography/US.lat-long   - lat/long coordinates of major US cities
  doc/geography/CIA_World_Map - directory of CIA world map database

ftp.uu.net
  graphics/USmap.Z         - digitized outline of the U.S.
  pub/Census/slc.part1.Z   - 1980 U.S. Census county boundaries

gatekeeper.dec.com
  pub/graphics/data/cia-wdb/*  - CIA World Data Bank

isdres.er.usgs.gov            [130.11.48.2]
      directory: [.USGS.GCTP]
      Source code the USGS General Cartographic Transformation Package
      (GCTP).

      directory: [.USGS.SDTS]   <- VAX Systen, take note
      Text to Spatial Data Transfer Standard (SDTS)

kiawe.soest.hawaii.edu        [128.171.151.16]
      directory: pub/gmt
      Contains the Generic Mapping Tools, software for map projections,
      spatial interpolation, contouring, 3D persective, raster
      processing (C code for workstations)


moon.cecer.army.mil           [129.229.1.16]
      In addition to the GRASS GIS source code, there is an extensive
      database for the Spearfish (South Dakota) area to be used with
      grass.  Although intended for GRASS, some of the data could easily
      be used for other purposes and systems.

pprg.eece.unm.edu             [129.24.24.10]
      directory: /pub/khoros/release
      Khoros is an integrated software development environment for
      information processing and visualization, based on X11R4.  Khoros
      components include a visual programming language, code generators
      for extending the visual language and adding new application
      packages to the system, an interactive user interface editor, an
      interactive image display package, an extensive library of image
      processing, numerical analysis and signal processing routines, and
      2D/3D plotting packages.

spectrum.xerox.com            [192.70.225.78]
      directory: pub/map
      USGS DLG (all scales), DEM, DTM, TIGER
      Data exchange site for all kinds of public domain map data.
      **Probably the best site for finding map data in this list.

vab02.larc.nasa.gov           [128.155.23.47]
      directory: pub/gifs/misc/landsat
      Landsat photos in GIF and JPEG format.  Great views of Boston,
      Washington DC, Cape Cod, NYC, Western Europe and other places.

Telnet addresses
-----------------------------
epaibm.rtpnc.epa.gov
      EPA National Library on-line database can be accessed for bibliographic
      searches.

martini.eecs.umich.edu 3000   [141.212.99.9] [141.212.100.9]
      Geographic Name Server
      Zipcode, population, lat/long other stats from 1980 census for US
      cities.  Enter name of city at the (non-existant) prompt and
      press Enter.  Include state (as in Ipswich, MA) or you'll get
      that city's info in every state it is found.
       Contact: Tom Libert (GNS author) Univ of Michigan
                [e-mail]

nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov
      NSSDC On-Line Data and Information Service.  Includes *NASA Master
      Directory* -- an online search system providing brief overview
      information about NASA and many important non-NASA space and earth
      science data, and data information systems.
      login: nodis

stis.nsf.gov                  [128.150.195.40]
      Science & technolgy Information Service STIS is maintained
      by the National Science Foundation.

tycho.usno.navy.mil           [192.5.41.239]
      U.S. Naval Observatory Automated Data Service
      login: ads

-------------------------------
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     This is a PC Bulletin Board System  dedicated to
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     Mapping software, data trasnlation, image processing, world-wide
     databases, 3D color GIF maps and landsat photos, daily weather maps
     and satellite photos, etc.
     To reach GISnet, fire up your modem and telecommications software,
     and dial [phone].  Set your protocol to 8 data bits, no
     parity, 1 stop bit, and you can connect at speeds up to 9600 baud
     (V.32), The system is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
     Some files are free, but for the "real good stuff" there is a small
     fee for full access.
     GISnet BBS
     1401 Walnut St., suite C
     Boulder, CO  80302
     [phone] (voice)
______________________________________________________________________________

12:   What are some books available on GIS?

     [Ed. Note:  Will the originator of much of this list let him/herself
                 be known so I can give credit here.  LN 1/8/93]

____  Proceedings: 5th International Symposium on Spatial     $50.00
    Data Handling.  IGU Commission on GIS, August 1992,
    Charleston, South Carolina.
    Two volume set contains more than seventy selected
    papers representing the state of the art in geographical
    information processing.

____  Time in Geographic Information Systems, by Gail            $40.00
    Langran.  Taylor & Francis, 1992.
    Thorough examination of the conceptual, logical, and
    physical design of temporal GISs.  This book reviews
    the literature; discusses implementation issues such as
    clustering, quality control, and volume control; and
    introduces original and previously unpublished research
    on the extension of existing spatial data structuring
    techniques to a three-dimensional space-time application.

____  Accuracy of Spatial Databases, edited by Michael          $77.00
    Goodchild
    Taylor & Francis, 1989.
    Detailed treatment of error and accuracy, particularly of
    modelling uncertainty and reliability, testing accuracy, and the
    practical implications for use of spatial data.

____  Analytical and Computer Cartography, by Keith Clarke. $52.00
    Prentice Hall, 1990.

____  Applications of Spatial Data Structures, by Hanan         $45.25
    Samet.
    Addison-Wesley, 1989.
    Applications of hierarchical data structures in computer
    graphics,image processing, and GIS.

____  Building Databases for Global Science, edited by Helen   $93.00
    Mounsey.    General Editor: Roger Tomlinson.
    Taylor & Francis, 1988.
    Papers from the first meeting of the International
    Geographical Union's Global Database Planning Project.

____  Design and Analysis of Spatial Data Structures, by         $43.25
    Hanan Samet
    Addison-Wesley, 1990.
    Hierarchical (quadtree and octree) data structures.

____  Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems: A   $60.00
    Compendium.  ACSM, 1990.

____  Fundamentals of Spatial Information Systems         $49.95
    Robert Laurini and Derek Thompson
    Academic Press, London, UK 1992, 700 pages approx.,
        ISBN 0-12-438380-7.

____  Geographic and Land Information Systems for             $45.00
    Practicing Surveyors: a Compendium.  ACSM, 1991.

____  Geographic Information Systems: A Management         $57.00
    Perspective, by Stan Aronoff.  WDL Publications, 1989.
    An excellent introduction to GIS principles and
    applications for users and managers.

____  Geographic Information Systems: An Introduction, by   $51.00
    Jeffrey Star and John Estes.  Prentice Hall, 1990.
    Introductory textbook for students and professionals.

____  Geographic Information Systems and Cartographic       $51.00
    Modelling, by Dana Tomlin.  Prentice Hall, 1990.
    Introduction to cartographic modelling, emphasizing
    environmental decisions, that develops a high-level
    cartographic computing language.

____  Geographic Information Systems for Resource          $60.00
    Management, edited by William Ripple.  ACSM, 1986.
    Papers on land suitability; water, soil, and vegetation
    resource management; and urban and global GIS
    applications.

____  Geographical Information Systems: Principles and     $295.00
    Applications, edited by David J. Maguire, Michael
    F. Goodchild and David W. Rhind.  John Wiley &
    Sons, 1991.  Two-volume boxed set contains sixty
    new papers; the most ambitious, extensive, and
    authoritative GIS book to date.

____  The Geography Coloring Book, by Wynn Kapit             $10.00
    Harper Collins, 1991.
    A creative and expert study aid for learning geography.
    Contains coloring plates and index.

____  Handbook of Relational Database Design, by Candace  $46.00
    Fleming and Barbara von Halle.  Addison-Wesley, 1989.

____  Intelligent Infrastructure - the Movie and the         $99.95
    Workbook.
    [Ed. note: at one time this was offered  without the
        video free of charge)
    UGC Corporation, 1990.
    Management-level primer on GIS with accompanying
    video.

____  Interpreting Space: GIS and Archaeology, edited by     $79.00
    Kathleen M. S. Allen, Stanton W. Green and Ezra B. W.
    Zubrow.  Taylor & Francis, 1990.
    The first book to address the use of GIS in archaeology
    and anthropology.

____  Introduction to Database Systems, Vol I, by C. J. Date.   $46.25
    Fifth edition.  Addison-Wesley, 1990.
____  Introduction to Database Systems, Vol II, by C. J. Date.  $45.25
    Addison-Wesley, 1985.

____  Introduction to Urban GIS, by William Huxhold (paper).  $32.50
    Oxford University Press, 1991.

____  Introductory Readings in Geographic Information         $39.00
    Systems, edited by Donna Pequet and Duane Marble.
    (paper).  Taylor & Francis, 1990.
    Selection of articles on various aspects of GIS.

____  Map Appreciation, by Mark Monmonier.        $41.00
    Prentice Hall, 1988.
    Teaches how to work with maps and promotes
    graphic literacy.

____  Map Generalization: Making Rules for Knowledge     $95.00    Representation,
    edited by Barbara Buttenfield and Robert
        McMaster.  John Wiley & Sons, 1991.
    This book is the first to focus on the development of a
    rule base for digital mapping.  It identifies the problems
     involved in the development of a rule base for digital
    maps used in GIS, and it provides a framework to help
    solve these problems, improve efficiency, preserve
    consistency, and incorporate sound principles into digital
    mapping.

____  Mapping the Next Millenium: The Discovery of New           $30.00
    Geographies, by Stephen Hall
    Random House, 1992.
    Contains reports from the scientific frontiers where virtually
    every aspect of the physical cosmos is being mapped, including
      the floor of the ocean, the hole in the ozone layer, the interior
     of the earth, atoms and chromosomes, the farthest planets of
     the solar system, the large-scale structure of the universe, and
     even the mathematical construct known as pi.

____  Principles of Geographical Information Systems for     $44.00
    Land Resources Assessment, by P. A. Burrough.
    Oxford University Press, 1986.
    Textbook for more advanced GIS specialists.

____  Statistics for Spatial Data, by Noel Cressie.                $90.00
    John Wiley & Sons, 1991.
    The most comprehensive and readable text to date on
    the analysis of spatial data through statistical models.
    It unifies a previously disparate subject under a common
    approach and notation.

____  Three Dimensional Applications in Geographic               $66.00
    Information Systems, edited by Jonathan Raper.
    Taylor & Francis, 1989.
    Survey of approaches and problems in modelling real
    geophysical data.


_______________________________________________________________________

13:  Where can I get a copy of that SpatioTemporal Bibliography?

     From: [e-mail] (Michael Soo)

     If you would like a copy of the document or the database and do not
     have ftp access, we ask that you first try the ftpmail facility available
     on cs.arizona.edu.  Simply send an e-mail message to [e-mail]
     that contains the ftp commands needed to retrieve the desired files.  The
     subject line of the message is irrelevant.

     For example, to retrieve both the postscript bibliography and the
     bibliographic database, the body of the message should contain the
     following.

        open
        cd bib
        get spacetime.bib
        get spacetime.ps

     The files will be mailed back to you, divided into chunks that can
     be glued together with the help of your favorite editor.

____________________________________________________________________________

14:  What in the world is a GIS?
     [Ed. plea:  Please, I do not want this to generate some
                 huge debate.  These are general definitions.]
     >from: Scott Freundschuh

          What Is A Geographic Information System (GIS)?

     An information system that is designed to work with data referenced by
     spatial or geographic coordinates.  In other words, a GIS is both a
     database system with specific capabilities for spatially-referenced
     data, as well as a set of operations for working [analysis] with the
     data. (Star and Estes, 1990)

     A system for capturing, storing, checking, integrating, manipulating,
     analyzing and displaying data which are spatially referenced to the
     Earth. (Chorley, 1987)

     Automated systems for the capture, storage, retrieval, analysis, and
     display of spatial data. (Clarke, 1990)

     A system of hardware, software, and procedures designed to support the
     capture, management, manipulation, analysis, modeling and display of
     spatially-referenced data for solving complex planning and management
     problems. (NCGIA lecture by David Cowen, 1989)

     An integrated package for the input, storage, analysis, and output of
     spatial information... analysis being the most significant. (Gaile and
     Willmott, 1989)

     GIS are simultaneously the telescope, the microscope, the computer,
     and the xerox machine of regional analysis and synthesis of spatial
     data. (Abler, 1988)

________________________________________________________________________

15:  Will GRASS run on my PC under LINUX?

     [Eds. note:  We have not baked this in our test kitchens.  Write the
             contributor for more info.]

     From: [e-mail] (alastair small 9209 G)

     It was a month or so ago,but I managed to get GRASS v4.0 running (with some
     hitches) on Linux ( a public domain unix for the PC). Some details are
     below:

     1: Hardware.
    I was using a 486/33 with 8Meg RAM, 200Meg HD, Logitech BUS mouse,
     Super VGA card (ET4000 compatible). If you are serious about using a setup
     such as this I would recommend more RAM and definately a larger HardDrive.
     As far as the video card, the version of Linux I was using would only
     support ET3000/4000 and a couple more that I cant recall (actually it's not
     Linux that has a problem with the cards, its X-Windows). I know there was a
     definate push to support more cards (ATI etc), but I'm not sure of the
     status.

     2: Software.
         Linux 0.96c with X11R5. I think the latest release is somewhere
     around 0.98+ (check comp.os.linux for details). Some ftp sites have
     pre-packaged versions of Linux that come with relatively easy to install
     instructions and a host of programs/utilities (i.e. Linux source and
     binaries, Gnu C compiler, Manual pages, editors, grep, etc,etc). They also
     have TCP/IP support now. There is also a growing list of programs that have
     been ported.

     3: Comments.
         There are quite a few changes that have to be made to get it to
     compile,which I could dig out if anyone is interested. There were also some
     problems that I never got round to fixing, but which could be overcome I'm
     sure. On the whole it was a nice system to use and was relatively fast (I
     compared the speed of displaying raster maps with a DEC5000 station running
     Ultrix and it was significantly faster, bearing in mind that it is a
     multi-user system). If you have the hardware and some spare time on your
     hands, I would recommend trying it out.

     The following changes were made to get GRASS running:

     1: Run src/CMD/utils/setup

    Specify where to compile binaries, respond to various questions (in
        most cases, hit return for defaults.

     2: Edit src/CMD/lists/local

         Specify digitizer, paint, and graphics drivers. If this info is not
     available,comment out "none" for digitizer, "preview" for paint driver. You
     must change graphics driver from "CELL" to "XDRIVER"

     3: Edit src/CMD/lists/GRASS

         comment out raster/r.binfer (needs lex and yacc I think)
                 raster/r.mapcal (      "          "        )
                 raster/r.weight (      "          "        )

         I never got around to getting LEX for Linux.I think it's version is
     called FLEX and may be part of the installation package now.
     I know that BISON
     is the Linux version of yacc, and it works with a -y option to make it
     emulate yacc.

     4: Edit src/CMD/generic/GISGEN.sh

         Even though it says not to edit this file, you must change line #71
     from:
         /etc/mknod $GISBASE/dev/fifo.$fifo$i p
     to:
         /bin/mkfifo $GISBASE/dev/fifo.$fifo$i p

         Alternatively, and probably easier, is to make a symbolic link from
            /bin/mkfifo to /etc/mknod.

     5: Edit src/libes/gis/Gmakefile

         Comment out line #106 - popen.o \
         This is standard library routine of GCC that does not have to be
             compiled.

     6: Edit src/display/devices/monitorcap

         Comment out lines #11,12,13 (other X terminals may
        be uncommented also):
             X0:driver/XDRIVER:X-windows graphics display: \
                 BASEDIR/dev/fifo.1a BASEDIR/dev/fifo.1b  \
                 ::any terminal

     7: Edit src/display/devices/XDRIVER/XDRIVER/Gmakefile

         Change line #36 from:
                    $(CC) $(LDFLAGS) $(OFILES) $(LIB) -lX11 $(MATHLIB)
         to:
              $(CC) $(LDFLAGS) $(OFILES) $(LIB) -L/libs -lX11 $(MATHLIB)

     8: Edit src/display/devices/XDRIVER/XDRIVER/SWITCHER.c

         Change line #139 from:
                 setpgrp(0,getpid());
         to:
                 setpgrp(0);

     "setpgrp() is used to change the process group to be distinct from the
     process group of the keyboard. This prevents keyboard interrupts from
     unintentionally killing the monitor (ie if you comment this line out,
     run and interrupt any program, the monitor will also die).

     The problem is that some versions of Unix have only one
     argument to setpgrp()
     and others have two. It is a hack, but the two argument call works even
     when only one is expected. However, GCC compiler notices and won't compile.
     Replace this call with setpgrp(0) and see (1) if it compiles and (2) if
     it protected from interrupts." (Michael Shapiro)


     9: Edit src/fonts/for_grass/Gmakefile

         Change line #12 from: splitfont $(FONT) to: ./splitfont $(FONT)
         Change line #24 from: font.bin: font_2_bin $(RAWFONT)
                   to: font.bin: ./font_2_bin $(RAWFONT)

     10: Edit src/display/d.profile/main.c

         Change line #352 from: cfree(profile.ptr); to: free(profile.ptr);

     11: Edit src/imagery/i.class/zoom_box.c and
              src/imagery/i.points/zoom_box.c

         Declare the following statements before the zoom_box() function:

         static int cancel();
         static int zoom1();
         static int zoom2();

         and remove int cancel();and int zoom1(); from within the zoom_box()
     function. It should look like the following:
     #include "globals.h"


     static int x1, y1, x2, y2;
     static View *pick_view, *zoom_view, *main_view;

     static int cancel();
     static int zoom1();
     static int zoom2();

     zoom_box()
     {
         static int use = 1;
         static Objects objects[]=
         {
         MENU("Cancel",cancel,&use),
         INFO(" Mark first corner of window ",&use),
         OTHER(zoom1,&use),

     12: Edit src/imagery/i.target/ask_target.c

         Change line #11 from: strcpy(cur_location, location, cur_location);
                 to:   strcpy(cur_location, location);



End of FAQ

--
Lisa Wolfisch Nyman         "Life is too short to wear ugly underwear."
[e-mail]
Just remember, geographers do it in places unknown to the general public.
New from Dweeb Publishers: Memoirs of a Workstation Widow, Oh the Agony of It