OO GIS at Ispra
Project Vision: To establish at Ispra a permanent centre of expertise in object-oriented GIS technologies based around an in-house developed and maintained OO-GIS research application based on a commercial OO-GIS product.
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OO GIS at IspraProject Vision: To establish at Ispra a permanent centre of expertise in object-oriented GIS technologies based around an in-house developed and maintained OO-GIS research application based on a commercial OO-GIS product. |
This currently contains only informal email reports (in reverse date order, more recent at the top) until 26th June 1998 when formal recording began.
These messages predate the initiation of the project but give context to the hardware delivery delays.
The visiting scientist's mission statement is relevant because this project is one way of achieving some of his official goals as agreed by the JRC.
From: "Philip Sargent"
<Philip.Sargent@computer.org>
To: "Michel Ansellem" <michel.amsellem@jrc.it>
Subject: Need 128
MByte in asipc19
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 1998 16:23:47 +0200
Sandro Annoni is getting upset because I cannot run an
object-oriented GIS on aispc19. It needs 128 MByte and a 24bit
colour card.
--Philip Sargent
# 135, Edificio 26a
TP 262, JRC, 21020 Ispra (VA), Italia
From: "Philip Sargent"
<Philip.Sargent@computer.org>
To: <support@ais.irsa.jrc.it>
Subject: aispc19: RAM
and video card
Date: Mon, 22 Jun 1998 14:33:55 +0200
No problems, but I have an outstanding request for 128 MByte RAM
(currently 96 MByte) 4 MByte video card so that I can get 24bit
colours.
This is very, very overdue. See Michel Ansellem and Sandro Annoni
for the priority.
--Philip Sargent
From: "Philip Sargent"
<Philip.Sargent@computer.org>
To: "Alessandro Annoni"
<alessandro.annoni@jrc.it>
Cc: "Michel Ansellem" <michel.amsellem@jrc.it>
Subject: RAM and
video card, and eXceed 6.0
Date: Wed, 3 Jun 1998 09:47:09 +0200
Just a reminder.
In order to run the object-oriented GIS software, my PC still
needs to be upgraded to 128 MByte RAM and needs to have a video
card capable of doing
24bit colour (16 million colours) at 1152x864.
In order to develop or change GUI, I will also need a copy of
Hummingbird eXceed XDK v6.0 about 4-6 weeks after I install the
OO GIS software.
Laser-Scan are sending me the OO GIS software directly, it is
IGIS 3.1 PLUS,
see http://www.lsl.co.uk/products/igis.htm
http://www.lsl.co.uk/news-eve/1998/may-dev3.1.htm
http://www.lsl.co.uk/cases/cropinscs.htm
--Philip Sargent
From: "Philip Sargent"
<Philip.Sargent@computer.org>
To: "Alessandro Annoni"
<alessandro.annoni@jrc.it>
Cc: "Paul Smits" <Paul.Smits@jrc.it>
Subject: PC graphics
card
Date: Wed, 29 Apr 1998 15:35:33 +0200
This 'new' aispc19 computer has only a 2MByte graphics card. It
has a Mach 64VT chip, ATI graphics adapter with 2MByte. We will
need all 24 bits of a 4 MByte card in order to have several
bit-planes when using IGIS Laser Scan software.
I am asking Laser-Scan for two user licenses so that Paul can use
it too.
--Philip
From: "Philip Sargent"
<Philip.Sargent@computer.org>
To: "Andrea Bellinzaghi"
<Andrea.Bellinzaghi@jrc.it>
Subject: aispc19
Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 11:14:27 +0200
Thank you very much: 199 MHz Pentium and 96 MByte RAM. Very nice.
However, I have lost my floppy disc... it is there in body but
not in spirit.
--Philip Sargent
From: "Philip Sargent"
<Philip.Sargent@computer.org>
To: "Alessandro Annoni"
<alessandro.annoni@jrc.it>
Cc: "Andrea Bellinzaghi"
<Andrea.Bellinzaghi@jrc.it>
Subject: Re: PC
graphics card
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 16:35:08 +0200
We may have a problem.
A 4 MByte graphics card may be hard to find that is compatible
with the bus in the PC (aispc19) ? I don't know what bus it has,
we need to ask Andrea.
--Philip Sargent
To: Philip.Sargent@computer.org
Subject: RE: aispc19
- Sargent
Date: 21 Apr 1998 17:59:01 +0200
Philip,
We can do the 200 MHz Pentium upgrade now (on Thursday or
Friday), but we have to wait some weeks for the memory.
Have a good mission.
__________________________
Michel Amsellem
JRC - Ispra
Space Applications Institute
Agricultural Information Systems Unit
Informatics Support Sector
Phone number: +39 332 785048
Fax number: +39 332 789074
e.mail: Michel Amsellem@jrc.it
X.400: g=Michel;s=Amsellem;p=ccrispra;a=garr;c=it
From: "Philip Sargent"
<Philip.Sargent@computer.org>
To: Alessandro Annoni <alessandro.annoni@jrc.it>
Subject: PC graphics
card, and Reston OGC..
Date: 21 April 1998 15:06
The PC upgrade will need a 4MByte graphics card for Laser-Scan
IGIS 3.1, and yes, it will need 128 MByte RAM.
I have some bits of reports from Reston which you should know
about, I printed it out and attached a Word document.
There is a new Earth Imaging special activity in OGC - documents
also attached.
When the JRC joins "officially" we get to use the
logos, also attached.
--Philip
From: "Philip Sargent"
<Philip.Sargent@computer.org>
To: "Michel Ansellem" <michel.amsellem@jrc.it>
Subject: aispc19 -
Sargent
Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 14:25:44 +0200
Michel,
Hi, Sandro says that you have a 200 MHz Pentium upgrade and 96
MByte of RAM you can give me now. That is very good news.
I will be on mission all day Thursday and Friday (23-24 April),
so those would be the best days to do the upgrade (if possible).
I will clear a space around the computer to make the upgrade
easier.
--Philip Sargent
From: "Philip Sargent"
<Philip.Sargent@computer.org>
To: "Alessandro Annoni"
<alessandro.annoni@jrc.it>
Cc: "Stephen Peedell" Stephen.Peedell@jrc.it,"Alfred de Jager" alfred.de-jager@jrc.it
Subject: Fw: IGIS
PLUS on Windows NT
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1998 12:54:35 +0200
This is what I will be getting from Laser-Scan.
The feature list of Gothic IGIS (including
raster/vector integration capabilities) is described here:
http://www.lsl.co.uk/products/igis.htm
The PC required is the same as the specification you (Sandro)
already have (128 MByte RAM), but for developing new OO methods
we also need a copy of "Hummingbird eXceed XDK v6.0".
http://pacific.www.hummingbird.com/products/exceed/multiwin.htm
I am double-checking with Laser-Scan that there is nothing else
needed. This will only produce Motif applications. If we want NT
applications, we will need some other stuff.
--Philip
From: "Philip Sargent"
<Philip.Sargent@computer.org>
To: "Alessandro Annoni"
<alessandro.annoni@jrc.it>
Cc: "Michel Ansellem" <michel.amsellem@jrc.it>
Subject: PC Machine
For Laser-Scan software.
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 1998 15:16:56 +0100
>>Please tell me what I have to do for you to buy a PC that
will run
>>Laser-Scan's software. What sort of 'case' do you need ?
>> Philip S.
>Prepare a short description of what you need (and for which
period) and send >to me and in copy to Michel Ansellem. We
will check how to do.
> Alessandro A.
HARDWARE & SOFTWARE TO SUPPORT Object-Oriented GIS
Demonstrations
HARDWARE
DESKTOP Intel PC Pentium 166MHz minimum
128 MByte RAM
4 GByte hard disc
CD-ROM (12x or faster)
Internet connection (LAN speed: 10 Mbits/s)
17 inch monitor 1024x768 256colour
UK keyboard (or US keyboard if no UK keyboard)
This is a very modest (cheap) machine, apart from the RAM.
Everything else I need for phase 1 is public domain and I can
install it myself (WWW browser, GNU & FSF tools, Ghostscript,
Python language etc. etc.). This is the same machine
specification I use here at LaserScan so I know that it is
adequate.
To save money:
I don't need a very fast machine,
I don't need 24bit colour graphics,
SOFTWARE
Gothic for NT comes in 2 stages: "Integrator" and
"Developer"
Software Phase 1 (Integrator):
Laser-Scan Integrator ($0 free for demo)
Microsoft NT Workstation 4.0 ($319 full US price)
Microsoft Visual Studio Professional ($999 full US price)
MSDN Professional subscription ($499 full US price)
I need Microsoft Visual Basic and C++ and I anticipate that we
may need Java too for other projects. The machine will need to be
able to run OODB
and GIS software (obviously), which means 128 MByte of memory. I
need MSDN to get updates and internationalisation tools.
Software Phase 2 (Developer):
Laser-Scan Developer ($0 free for demo)
[I am getting current prices for these]
X-Windows software, e.g. PC-Xware or Exceed
NT/Unix emulation for compilation, e.g. NTrigue, Nutcracker
To save money:
I don't need a Unix compatibility package (NutCracker)...yet,
I don't need the Universal edition of the MSDN subscription, and
I don't need the Enterprise edition of Visual Studio.
For OGC work I am managing with Office95 but it creates extra
work. I would prefer that the new machine uses Office 97:
Microsoft Office 97 Standard Edition ($499 full US price)
--Philip Sargent
From: Alessandro Annoni
<alessandro.annoni@jrc.it>
To: "'Philip.Sargent@computer.org'"
<Philip.Sargent@computer.org>
Subject: RE: OO-GIS
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 1998 14:54:19 +0100
>From: Philip Sargent[SMTP:Philip.Sargent@computer.org]
>Sent: gioved=EC 26 febbraio 1998 14.37
>To: Alessandro Annoni
>Subject: OO-GIS
>We seem to have put object-oriented GIS to a lower priority
in AIS at the moment.
>This is one of my personal priorities. It will be very hot
when P.Smidts will arrive.
When and if he arrives is matter for our administration (so no
precise foreseen date).
>I would like to make sure that it is not forgotten, but I am
not sure of the best way
>to make it relevant to current AIS-SAI needs and training -
do you have any ideas ?
No action for the moment.
>I will have a look at the Matra/O2 system that is installed
on a Unix machine in AIS, but since we have no one who knows how
it works, I doubt that it will be useful.
I don't think useful to spend time on it, but in any case are you
sure that Neil Corlett does not know it ?
>Please tell me what I have to do for you to buy a PC that
will run Laser-Scan's software. What sort of 'case' do you need ?
Prepare a short description of what you need (and for which
period) and send to me and in copy to Michel Ansellem. We will
check how to do.
From: "Philip Sargent"
<Philip.Sargent@computer.org>
To: "Alessandro Annoni"
<alessandro.annoni@jrc.it>
Subject: OO-GIS
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 1998 14.37:12 +0100
We seem to have put object-oriented GIS to a lower priority in
AIS at the moment.
This is one of my personal priorities. It will be very hot when
P.Smidts will arrive.
I would like to make sure that it is not forgotten, but I am not
sure of the best way
to make it relevant to current AIS-SAI needs and training - do
you have any ideas ?
I will have a look at the Matra/O2 system that is installed on a
Unix machine in AIS, but since we have no one who knows how it
works, I doubt that it will be useful.
Please tell me what I have to do for you to buy a PC that will
run Laser-Scan's software. What sort of 'case' do you need ?
--Philip Sargent
From: "Philip Sargent"
<Philip.Sargent@jrc.it>
To: <neil.corlett@jrc.it>
Cc: "Michel Ansellem" <michel.amsellem@jrc.it>
Subject: Documents in
HTML: Diagrams ?
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 1998 08:52:35 +0100
Text
Most of my collaborators (OpenGIS: http://www.opengis.org ) are outside the JRC - that's why I'm here: to be a
liaison. At the moment, HTML for reports is a requirement.
Word97 (which produces HTML easily, and also Word95 .doc files)
will be a possibility, except that at the moment the PC I have
here (aispc19: a P/60) is not capable of running Word97 at a
realistic speed.
Diagrams
I am used to preparing architecture diagrams in Draw97 (part of
Word97++) and publishing them as GIFs, but I will have to find an
alternative here at the JRC for next few weeks, any suggestions ?
I have PaintShopPro but that is not really any good for diagrams.
Advance Notice - in case you haven't been told In the first week
of February, A.Annoni (AIS) will be ordering a more powerful PC
for me to run one or two OODBs on ( http://www.lsl.co.uk/papers/cartogen.htm, http://www.lsl.co.uk/~arctur/portfolio/ogisrefs.html ), and copies of Office97, MSDNpro. and VisualStudio
5.0 - required for OpenGIS compatibility: at the moment I cannot
read some of the internal OpenGIS documents in PowerPoint97 and
Word/Draw97.
This was agreed back in November and Annoni has a budget for it.
Annoni will return to the JRC on Jan28-29, then he will be away
for another week. Do you have any forms I could fill in that
would help expedite the order ?
--Philip
From: "Philip Sargent" Philip.Sargent@computer.org
To: "Alessandro Annoni"
<alessandro.annoni@jrc.it>
Subject: Equipment
for me.
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 1997 11:13:07 -0000
We probably need to discuss computing hardware and software.
I understand from Mike Jackson that you will be providing
"full
infrastructure support" for me. If you are going away in
January, we need
to get equipment arranged before you go.
Who should I talk to about this ?
I do not have official confirmation from Rudolph Winter yet.
The OGC uses Microsoft Office97 for documents and presentations.
I would
need Microsoft Visual Basic, C++ and I anticipate that we will
need Java
too. The machine will need to be able to run OODB and GIS
software
(obviously), which means 128 MByte of memory. I need MSDN to get
updates
and internationalisation tools. However, to save money:
I don't need a very fast machine,
I don't need 24bit colour graphics,
I don't need a Unix compatibility package (NutCracker)...yet,
I don't need the Professional edition of Office,
I don't need the Universal edition of the MSDN subscription, and
I don't need the Enterprise edition of Visual Studio.
The result:
Hardware:
DESKTOP Intel PC Pentium 166MHz minimum
128 MByte RAM
4 GByte hard disc
CD-ROM (12x or faster)
Internet connection (LAN speed: 10 Mbits/s)
17 inch monitor 1024x768 256colour
UK keyboard (I can bring this myself).
Software:
Microsoft NT Workstation 4.0 ($319 full US price)
Microsoft Office 97 Standard Edition ($499 full US price)
Microsoft Visual Studio Professional ($999 full US price)
MSDN Professional subscription ($499 full US price)
X-Windows software, e.g. Exceed, for accessing packages running
on Unix
machines.
This is a very modest (cheap) machine, apart from the RAM.
Everything else
I need is public domain and I can install it myself (WWW browser,
GNU & FSF
tools, Ghostscript, Python language etc. etc.). This is the same
machine
specification I use here at LaserScan so I know that it is
adequate.
A laptop is no good for this kind of thing. I already have an old
laptop
which is good enough for making notes and collecting email while
travelling
(a 386 machine).
--Philip Sargent
Laser-Scan http://www.lsl.co.uk
No wording has been changed in these messages but some extraneous blank lines, newlines and underlining have been removed. In one message, extra "> " characters were inserted to clarify which parts were written by which people.
Updated 28 June 1998