The QGIS Forum is closing

Stack Exchange with 'QGIS' search

Forum QGIS akan tutup

Sejak 25.3.2012 selepas melawati plugins.qgis.org, saya merasa terdapatnya perkembangan semasa. Hari ni, berita hagat seperti diatas ternyata pada Forum QGIS dimana mulai 30.3.2012, ianya akan tutup dan hanya berfungsi sebagai laman bacaan sebelum dipindahkan thread-thread yang penting sebagai FAQ. Sebaliknya, pelawat yang ingin tahu lebih mengenai QGIS diminta pergi ke gis.stackexchange dan membuat search "qgis' seperti dibawah. Sedihnya melihat forum ni tutup kerana ianya merupakan tiang siber kedua bagi QGIS. Ini tidak bermakna QGIS akan gulung tikar cuma usaha dan kemungkinan besar, input kewangan sedang disalurkan kepada perkara-perkara yang lebih utama. Perubahan bukan perkara baru. Mereka yang kerap ke laman QGIS juga perhatikan Blog QGIS telah tutup digantikan dengan Planet QGIS serta bagi yang berminat chat: adanya freenode IRC. Well, masih ada QGIS MALAYSIA untuk sanjungkan bendera QGIS flag di Internet dan jangan kata saya tak nasihat kerana terdapat banyak rujukan yang baik pada "Links" kat QGIS MALAYSIA.

Terkini: Perkara ni telah saya bincang kat Linkedin dan Werner M berkata "The main reason for not having our "own" forum is that we just do focus the development into QGIS and we do not have enough developers maintaining all those (even free) forum software. It takes a lot of time to invest to keep the forum SPAM free (thankfully Anita did that in the past) but I also see the investment of time to just answer questions is more valueable and important than maintaining a forum keeping it spamfree (without any time left to answer questions) stackexchange is a very good place to answer questions and the best thing is .. THEY are taking care of keeping it spamfree."

The QGIS Forum is closing

Since the 25.3.2012 after visiting plugins.qgis.org, I felt movement in the air. Today, a visit to the QGIS Forum is greeted with a hot news as shown above. It appears the QGIS Forum will close beginning 30.3.2012 as a read only site "until such time that significant threads have been migrated to a FAQ". Instead viewers interested in qgis matters are asked to go to gis.stackexchange and make a "qgis' in the search box as shown below. I am sad to see it go because to me it has always been a second cyber pillar for QGIS. This in no way implies QGIS is going to shrivel up soon merely that efforts and probably financial input are being concentrated on more critical issues. But changes are not new. Those who frequent QGIS homepage will have noticed the QGIS Blog gave way to a QGIS Planet and for chatterboxs: a freenode IRC chat Well, there is still QGIS MALAYSIA to champion the QGIS flag over the Internet and don't say I didn't tell you there are many good references under "Links" at QGIS MALAYSIA.

Update: I discussed this matter at Linkedin and Werner M. replied that "The main reason for not having our "own" forum is that we just do focus the development into QGIS and we do not have enough developers maintaining all those (even free) forum software. It takes a lot of time to invest to keep the forum SPAM free (thankfully Anita did that in the past) but I also see the investment of time to just answer questions is more valueable and important than maintaining a forum keeping it spamfree (without any time left to answer questions) stackexchange is a very good place to answer questions and the best thing is .. THEY are taking care of keeping it spamfree."

Training: JPBD Central Zone Project Office get trained in QGIS

Day 2  turnout had very lively participants 

Hah! QGIS ability to do editing in simple steps caught their eyes

Latihan: Pejabat Projek Zon Tengah mendapat laithan QGIS

20-21.3.2012 merupakan 2 hari yang didedikasi kepada melatih staf dari Pejabat Projek ketiga mengikut kaedah train-the-trainer dan diadakan pada Makmal IT Ibu Pejabat JPBD. Kurang dari 20 peserta hadir latihan tersebut. Walaupun pemindahan teknologi telah dilaksanakan, saya merasa komitmen dan sokongan yang kuat daripada semua Pengarah Pejabat Projek amat perlu bagi memastikan penggunapakaian QGIS berjaya kerana Fadzlan dan saya tidak mempunyai kuasa untuk ianya jadi, tambahan pula, ramai yang hadir telah pun biasa dengan perisian GIS berlesen. Ini lah realiti yang kami menghadapi dan saya, yang sudah lama berkhidmat dengan Kerajaan tahu saja kadangkala muka yang senyum tidak semestinya bermakna juga hati yang senyum. Yang penting, kami berpuashati dapat berkongsi ilmu GIS dalam OSS GIS.

Training: JPBD Central Zone Project Office get trained in QGIS

20-21.3.2012 were 2 days dedicated to training the staff from the third JPBD Project Office on a train-the-trainer approach held at JPBD Headquarters IT Laboratory. Slightly less than 20 participants attended. Although the transfer of technology was done, I still get the feeling that strong commitment from all Project Office directors' support for the adoption of QGIS is crucial to its adoption success especially because Fadzlan and myself have no control in ensuring the adoption of QGIS among those trained, furthermore,  many trained are already familiar with proprietary GIS. This is the reality, we face and I who have worked so long in the government service only know too well that smiling faces do not necessarily mean smiling hearts. All the same, we are happy to have shared GIS knowledge in OSS GIS. 

Peserta

Wan Hafizul Wan Mahmood

Azmi Husein

Sharin Amir Sharifuddin

Yusof Ismail

Bagus ilmu yang baru tapi  perlu lebih masa untuk mudahdiri ada banyak pro & kontra dengan MapInfo.

Nina Shikeen Hamzah

Perlu lebih masa untuk explore

Norzariyati Aini Abdul Majid

Sistemnya mudah digunakan.Walaubagaimanapun beberapa sesi tambahan perlu dijalankan bagi menambahkan pengetahuan dan kemahiran pengguna.

Noriah Husin

Nurulhuda Mohd. Sidi

Perlu lebih masa belajar tutorial

Sauhaidah Yusop

Nurula'im Abdul Azis

QGIS lebih mudah untuk berinteraksi kerana dapat membuka beberpa bentuk data dalam satu-satu masa.Kaedah untuk analisis data lebih mudah diperolehi berbanding MapInfo tetapi perlu membuat banyak latihan untuk memahirkan penggunaan QGIS.

Fairulwati Farok

Suhana Tahir

Good, OK

Yusnaim Abdul Rani

Mohd. Fazli Ayub 

Airman Ayusneda Ibrahim

QGIS bagus tetapi terlalu banyak yang perlu dipelajari dalam satu hari

Sri Ranjini a/p Awali

QGIS OK tapi belum cuba sepenuhnya. Masanya tak cukup untuk belajar dengan bagus lagi.

Mohd. Norazham Hamim

OK

Noorhayati Zainal Abidin

QGIS lebih teratur sistem berbanding MapInfo tetapi masih banyak perlu di explore

Mazlee Ismail

Nursyamilah Yahya

Norhaini Ahmad

Good lesson, ilmu banyak

Yusnaim

OK

Khadijah Abdul Hamid

Mudah hands-on tak banyak command tapi perlu leih masa lagi untuk pelajari.

Between the two

Between the two

Without prejudice, I was asked what is the fundamental difference between proprietary GIS and OSS GIS? I  replied the key difference was that OSS GIS is free. Next, I was asked how I solve the problem of user support in OSS GIS as in proprietary GIS? I replied that firstly, it does not exist in OSS GIS but users can get it free at forums and mailing list. However, if they were willing to pay for it, they could employ a consultant. So it was debated that OSS GIS is not free after all in the true sense of the word "GIS". I argued that, on the other hand, updates and plugins are perpetually free under OSS GIS and since I could not come to a monetary figure to this, I said let's make that equal. That was a strong argument in favour of OSS GIS so that point was amicably agreed upon. I pointed out the strong points in favour of proprietary GIS is that some specialized modules may be readily available which may not be available under OSS GIS. If  such modules were required immediately to carry out a specifc task, then it only justifies to acquire that proprietary GIS, how else does one expect to do the job? If on the other hand, since different users have different needs, if a particular user's GIS requirement can be fulfilled merely by utilizing an OSS GIS, if necessary, importing specific modules from another OSS GIS exemplified by QGIS borrowing from GRASS GIS, then it would be more logical to invest in OSS GIS. From a financial point-of-view, I argue that with the after-sales support issue being contra-ed by the perpetually free updates and free plugins, the proprietary GIS software still had to be purchased. I argued that in the case of OSS GIS that cost could  be translated into opportunity gain, for example, in the form of the purchase of 3 desktop computers where if in an office, certain work, up to now, could only be carried out on one computer, could now be shared amongst 3 persons since the office now owns 3 computers. Translate that into office productivity, it implies that work productivity now increased by 300% and the time it took to complete that task would be substantially reduced. Training staff in IT could also improve correspondingly because there are more IT infrastructure. The point I wanted to stress was that to appreciate OSS GIS, comparative benefits between proprietary GIS and OSS GIS must be seen from a more wider perspective or else you lose out on a lot of the benefits that OSS GIS can tag on. It was also pointed out that sometimes proprietary GIS was more preferred because to secure a contract the client demanded a specific proprietary GIS. Yes, true but I argued that it did not stop the firm to recommend to the client how he could make future saving if he too used OSS GIS as it did not impose any cost, I am sure the client would be only to glad to here such advice and that could further strengthen business ties for the future. I said if you force your mind to work only under a specific scenario (proprietary GIS) because you wanted it so, you may eventually lose out in the long run to other competitors when other scenarios (OSS GIS) are so modular and adaptable to change and different situations.

* Training: Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment get trained in QGIS

 

Latihan: Kementerian Sumber Asli dan Alam Sekitar mendapat latihan QGIS

Kementerian Sumber Asli dan Alam Sekitar (NRE), seperti jabatan saya, telah lama menggunakan perisian GIS berlesen tetapi tahap kesedaran yang kian meningkat serta populariti QGIS telah mendesak mereka meminta kami memberi latihan QGIS. Pusat Infrastruktur Data Geospatial Negara (MaCGDI) merupakan pusat NRE yang mengurus dan mempromosikan pembangunan data infrastruktur geospatial negara. Adalah hanya logikal bahawa Bhg. Penyelidikan dan Pembangunannya mengambil initiatif untuk mengkaji dan menilai QGIS. Bagaimana pun, saya cuba menerangkan bahawa perbandingan terus menerus antara QGIS dan GIS berlesen tidak adil dan prejudis atas pendirian mereka merupakan perisian GIS kerana sebenarnya mereka tidak sama in the sense of the word "GIS software". Saya tekankan agar mereka mengambilkira opportunity gain apabila OSS GIS diguna dan bagaimana ianya dapat menguntungkan dari aspek kewangan, lebih-lebih lagi, dari aspek manfaat dalam prestasi kerja di pejabat. Ini satu perkara yang ramai tak nampak apabila mereka menganalisis OSS GIS bersama GIS berlesen dimana ini merupakan satu mata yang amat penting bagi OSS GIS yang tidak diutarakan dalam debat ini. Kadangkala saya tertanya sama ada orang betul-betul faham apa yang saya maksudkan. Kami berharap tidak lama lagi akan kami dapat memperolehi laporan Kajian Penilaian QGIS kelak. Seramai 10 orang menyertai latihan QGIS yang diadakan pada 15-16.3.2012 di Ibu Pejabat NRE, Putrajaya. Tapi yang syok sekali adalah saya dapat menpengaruhi beberapa orang agar menggunapakai Ubuntu :-D

Training: Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment get trained in QGIS

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE), like my department, traditionally uses  proprietary GIS but the recent increasing awareness and popularity of QGIS made it desirous for them to request us to train them in QGIS. The Malaysia Centre for Geospatial Data and Infrastructure (MaCGDI)  represents a NRE centre that manages and promotes the development of geospatial data infrastructure for Malaysia. It was only logical that its R&D Division initiate a move to study and assess QGIS. I did however explain that direct comparison between QGIS and proprietary GIS would be unfair and prejudice just because they are GIS software does not make them equals in the sense of the word "GIS software". I stress that they ought to take into account the opportunity gain when an OSS GIS is used and how that gain not only can be translated into financial gain but more so in terms of office productivity gains. This is something many people do not see when they analyse OSS GIS against proprietary GIS thus a very strong point in favour of OSS GIS is lost along the debate. I sometimes wonder whether people even understand what I am trying to say. Hopefully we will can later get their evaluation report on QGIS. A total of 10 people attended the QGIS training held on 15-16.3.2012 at their Headquarters in Putrajaya. But my greatest pleasure was I managed to convert a few people to use Ubuntu :-D

Maklumbalas peserta
Ahmad Akhir Tompang
(See Anonymous comment)

Norhayati Abdullah
NA

Siti Zainun Mohamad
User-friendly, perlu banyak explore dengan real data


Nik Zamri Nik Sham
Yeah! No more piracy


Azamaliza Kamis
User-friendly, menjimatkan dan sangat sesuai digunakan oleh semua agensi kerajaan. Berbanding dengan software GIS lain, Quantun GIS ada kelebihan tersendiri.

Mohd.Rifi Mohd.Naseri
User-friendly, more interactive, easy to understand the method of processing data, free, dynamic, easy to update

Nurul Afzan Idris
NA

Mohd.Nadzri Poajan@Pajan
Pertama kali menggunakan perisian GIS, QGIS ini user-friendly, mudah difahami.

Mohd.Redzuan Abd.Rahim
User-friendly, free software, perlu lebih perhatian pada GRASS & SQL Query

Siti Nor Asniza Kamaruzaman
First time guna, senang, user-friendly, menarik dan best. Paling penting...free!!

* Training: Petronas Technology University get trained in QGIS

 

Latihan: Universiti Teknologi Petronas diberi latiahn QGS

Laman ini nampaknya merupakan alat kuat untuk mempromosi QGIS di Malaysia. Hari ini, atas permintaan Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) Tronoh, pensyarah-pensyarah UTP juga diberi latihan QGIS. Terdapat minat dari seksyen akamemik UTP bernama Greening the Biomass Supply Chain through the High-Performance Optimization dan kami diminta memperkenalkan GIS melalui QGIS dimana mereka berhasrat untuk merangkaikannya bersama PostGIS. Ahem, ahem, hari tu amat penting bagi kami kerana pada hari tu, pemegang Saujana Muda dan Ijazah telah melatih Doktor dari bidang Sains Komputer dan Maklumat serta lain personel dari UTP dalam GIS :-D Salah seorang peserta telah pun mengambil slideshow saya dengan tujuan untuk mendedahkan QGIS kepada pelajarnya dari fakulti lain.

Training: Petronas Technology University get trained in QGIS

This site has been a powerful tool at promoting QGIS in Malaysia. Today, Petronas Technology University (UTP), Tronoh joined the bandwagon where upon their request, got trained in QGIS. There is an interest from the academic wing of UTP on a project called Greening the Biomass Supply Chain through the High-Performance Optimization so they upon us to learn the (GIS) rope with QGIS in mind because they are keen to link it with PostGIS. Ahem, ahem, it was an important day for us because that was a day when a Masters of Science and a Degree holder train a Doctor in Computer and Information Science and other personnel from the UTP in GIS :-D One of the participants took my slideshow with intention to expose his students from another faculty to QGIS.

Participants
M.Nordin Zakaria, Dr (ACADEMIC/UTP)
Rozana Kasbon (ACADEMIC/UTP)
Khamaruzaman Wan Yusof, Dr (ACADEMIC/UTP)
A.Nassir Matori, Dr (ACADEMIC/UTP)
M.Faris Khamidi, Dr (ACADEMIC/UTP)
Jasmi Ab.Talib (ACADEMIC/UTP)
Izzudin (RA/UTP)
Mansir Aminu (Nat. Space Research & Development Agency, Nigeria)

Excellent place to study

Typical classroom/labs 

* QGIS at Malaysia GeoSpatial Forum, 2012

QGIS at Malaysia GeoSpatial Forum, 2012

Sekali lagi saya telah mempromosikan Open Source GIS, khususnya Quantum GIS, kali ni di Malaysia GeoSpatial Forum, Melaka pada 6-7.3.2012. Saya percaya ianya dihadiri oleh peserta-peserta dari sektor awam dan swasta serta dari Malaysia Barat dan Timur. Kertas saya menyentuh pasal pembangunan QGIS di jabatan saya dari dahulu ke masa depan dan adalah versi panjang bagi artikel Kajian Kes yang di muat naik pada Laman web QGIS. Masa yang diberi cuma 15 mins bagaimana bilangan slide adalah lebih kurang 60 maka terpaksalah dipercepatkan taklimat. Berita baik bagi QGIS yang Puan Tan King Ing, Pengerusi dan Penolong Pengarah dari MAMPU, Jabatan Perdana Menteri berkata sehingga kini  Quantum GIS digunapakai oleh sebanyak 38 agensi awam.

QGIS at Malaysia GeoSpatial Forum, 2012

I did my part again promoting Open Source GIS, specifically, Quantum GIS, this time at the Malaysia GeoSpatial Forum held at Malacca on 6-7.3.2012. I noted it was attended by participants from both public and private sector and from both West and East Malaysia. My paper touched on the past, present and future development of QGIS at my department which was really an expanded version of my Case Study article that got uploaded at the QGIS home page. The time allocated was only 15mins but I had just under 60 slides to present so my talk was presented in full throttle. The good news for QGIS which Madam Tan King Ing, the chairperson and Deputy Director from MAMPU of the Prime Minsiter's Department pointed out that so far Quantum GIS has already been adopted by 38 public agencies.

* KSN gives opinion on OSS GIS

KSN memberi pandangn mengenai OSS GIS

Semalam, Yang Bhg. Tan Sri Mohd Sidek bin Haji Hassan, Ketua Setiausha Negara (KSN) Malaysia telah  sudi mengadakan sesi Townhall (apa maksud tu?) bersama kakitangan kanan Kementerian saya di Putrajaya. Tema beliau adalah "simplicity" dan menjemput semua untuk memberi cadangan bagaimana prestasi perkhidmatan awam boleh dimantapkan lagi serta mengakui beliau bukan tahu semua oleh itu ingin mendapat pandangan kakitangan Kerajaan secara terbuka. Peluang ini saya rebutkan lalu terus bertanya disamping mengumumkan kepada semua disana, manafaat QGIS telah memberi, sehingga kini, melalui latihan dan penggunapakaian QGIS dijabatan saya serta sama ada beliau boleh de facto-kan QGIS bagi semua agensi kerajaan. Walau menyokong Open Source,Tan Sri berkata terdapat isu legacy yang perlu ditangani maka, perlu mengkaji lagi proprietari dan OSS GIS. Saya dah sangka jawapan KSN tersebut tetapi sedia maklum emel saya kepada beliau telah disalurkan kepada Ketua Pengarah MAMPU, Pejabat Perdana Mentgeri, oleh itu, berpendapat beliau telah membuat keputusan sewajar. Yang penting, pandangan saya telah diutarakan secara terbuka dan kepada pihak-pihak tertentu di Kementerian. It's the name of the game!

KSN gives opinion on OSS GIS

Yesterday, the Hon.Tan Sri Mohd Sidek bin Haji Hassan, the Chief Secretary General (KSN) of Malaysia gave a rare opportunity to have a Townhall (wonder what that means)  session with senior staff of my Ministry at Putrajaya. His theme was "simplicity" and invited members of the floor to give suggestions how the public service could be further improved admitting that he does not know all so what better way than to get it from the horse's mouth. It was a chance in a million so I took the opportunity to ask and also make aware to all senior officers there, the benefits QGIS has brought to the government, so far, by way of QGIS training and adoption of QGIS at my department and specifically asking whether he would make it the de facto GIS for public agencies. He replied that whilst he supported Open Source, there were legacy issues to address so he would need to see further between proprietary and OSS GIS. You could say I expected that answer but I know he had earlier forwarded my email to him to the Director General of MAMPU, Prime Minister's Department so I would say he did the right thing. The point was I had made my view public, more importantly, to key personels at my Ministry. It's the name of the game!

* OSCC calls for discussion on OSS GIS

OSCC panggil untuk mebincang pasal OSS GIS

Hari ini, pihak OSSC dari Pejabat Perdana Menteri telah menjemput saya untuk bincang mengenai OSS GIS serta ingin tahu apakah jabatan saya sedang buat. Nampaknya kerajaan hasrat untuk memindahkan perisian proprietari kepada OSS bagi eTanah, projek nasional berkaitan dengan pentadbiran tanah yang dilaksanakan oleh Pejabat Tanah dan Daerah. Selepas perunding tempatan telah membentang mengenai perisian PosgtreSQL dan JBoss, saya dijemput untuk memberi taklimat mengenai status OSS GIS di jabatan saya. Diterangkan kami sedang mengkaji pakej QGIS-PosgreSQL-PostGIS dan membuat analsis antara QGIS dan  proprietari GIS apabila diguna bersama PostgreSQL-PostGIS. Pada akhir perbincangan ni, Puan Pengerusi menyimpulkan taklimat saya merupakan "eye-opener" dan saya merasa begitu puashati kerana dah lah datang dengan tangan kosong. Adakah penggunapakaian QGIS-PosgreSQL-PostGIS akan giatmaju masa hadapan? Saya berharap begitu kerana ini bermakna apa yang saya telah menerajui selama ni adalah secocok dengan visi kerajaan.

OSCC calls for discussion on OSS GIS

Today, OSSC, the Prime Minister's Dept think-tank for Open Source software and applications invited me for a discussion on OSS GIS and wanted to know what my department has been up to. There was a desire from them to migrate from proprietary software to OSS for eTanah, a nationwide Electronic Land Administration project implemented by the District Land and Mines Office. After a local consultant touched on PosgtreSQL and JBoss  software, I was invited to brief on the status of OSS GIS at my department. I explained the R&D we did and use the QGIS-PosgreSQL-PostGIS package and highlighted the results between QGIS and proprietary GIS when used with PostgreSQL-PostGIS. At the end of the discussion, the chairperson concluded my briefing was an "eye-opener" which I was pleased to hear considering I came unprepared. Will we see more of QGIS-PosgreSQL-PostGIS in the future? I hope so because that will mean what I have been pioneering has been in the government's vision.