8/25/98 draft GIS/RS MEETING NOTES
     
     SPATIAL DATA MANAGEMENT (Doug, George, Sharon, John, Ray, Don)
        There is a immediate need to coordinate acquisition and development 
     of spatial data layers,  provide searchable metadata and access to 
     spatial data layers.  This is a major task and requires cooperation of 
     all spatial data users to provide metadata and a central method to 
     catalogue data and provide updates.     
     
     OPTICAL JUKEBOX (Terralyn)
        Optical Juke Box is up and running. This is a good place to store 
     static images and coverages.  There is about 130 GB of space 
     available. The jukebox will look like any other hard drive to the user 
     and the data can be made read only.  Access is about 4X slower than a 
     hard drive, so using the jukebox for everyday use is not recommended. 
     Suggested as a good place to store finished student projects with 
     corresponding metadata (Perhaps as a condition of graduation they have 
     to provide metadata for their projects).  Meeting attendees provided 
     an estimate of their space needs on the jukebox to Terralyn.   
     
     COMPATIBILITY OF PLATFORMS (Terralyn)
     
     Location of files       Destination of files    Current Method              Future 
     =====================================================================================
     Sun UNIX                USFS IBM                   FTP                      DFS/NFS 
     Sun UNIX                NT system                  FTP/SAMBA                SAMBA
     Sun UNIX                Windows 3.1                FTP/NFS gateway     
     USFS IBM                Sun UNIX                   FTP                      DFS/NFS 
     USFS IBM                NT system                  FTP                      SAMBA??? 
     USFS IBM                Windows 3.1                FTP
     NT System               Sun UNIX                   FTP                      NT/NFS gw 
     NT System               USFS IBM                   FTP                 

     NT System               Windows 3.1                Transparent mapping 
     Windows 3.1             USFS IBM                   FTP
     Windows 3.1             Sun UNIX                   FTP
     Windows 3.1             NT System                  Transparent mapping
     
     DFS/NFS - Software available on the USFS IBM to allow the Sun's to cd to drives
     on the IBM and vice-versa.  Not currently installed.
     SAMBA - Free software which makes UNIX disks look like another drive letter.
     Currently in limited use, but the services can be expanded.
     NFS gateway- Software used on Novell Servers to let the Sun's cd to a novell
     drive.  Currently installed.
     NT/NFS gw - Software available at a charge (probably less than $1000 per NT
     server) which allows the Sun UNIX machines to cd to an NT drive.
     Transparent mapping - This assumes that the data is on the network, in which 
     case both the NT and Windows 3.1 machines can see the data.
     
     USER HELP
        Historically George Lienkaemamper and Barbara Marks have been the 
     point people for any new Unix and Arc/Info users.  They provided 
     guidance on software and hardware issues, project design, availability 
     of spatial data layers, and direction to people doing similar 
     research.  They were an invaluable asset and the functions they 
     performed need to be replaced.  Some of the functions can be spread 
     among the existing analysts. At the GIS/RS meeting we identified 
     several functions and ideas of how to meet these needs.  Some of these 
     issues are more of an issue for GIS users since many new Imagine users 
     are associated with a Remote Sensing researcher.    
        *Technical
        The need for access to technical GIS/RS information will be 
     provided through QSG short courses, a college-wide computer helpdesk, 
     a GIS/RS helpdesk, handouts provided to new users and new students, 
     list servers, web pages, notebooks located in computer labs, and 
     direct contact to software providers.       The intention is to retain 
     the QSG UNIX and GIS short courses (George L. and Kelly C).  (How 
     about a remote sensing short course?)  Michael Wing will be teaching 
     an undergraduate course in GIS Winter Quarter.  There seems to be a 
     shortage of GIS classes on campus that provide the necessary 
     background to design and perform complex spatial analyses.  Some 
     students are electing to take a GIS course offered by the U of O. 
        Using the available expertise in GIS/RS many of the technical needs 
     and questions of new and experienced users can be addresses.  A 
     permanently staffed helpdesk person is being recruited to address 
     computer related questions throughout the college.  This person needs 
     to be able to answer simple technical questions and also know where to 
     point users for more information. The existing GIS/RS helpdesk will be 
     updated and E-mail addresses will be provided (Sharon C.).  Several 
     people said that they preferred dealing with users questions through 
     E-mail.  There is a gishelp E-mail list that will be updated to allow 
     questions to be asked of all users simultaneously (Sharon C. and Ruth 
     W.).  Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FSQ) would be a nice 
     addition.  Question can be posted to the ESRI list server and campus 
     Arcinfo list server.  Direct questions can be sent via a campus 
     representative (Sharon C.) to ESRI.   There is interest in updating 
     the GIS/RS notebook and also providing some of this information on a 
     web page.  The notebook will contain information on who to contact for 
     what, system configuration, printing instructions, basic unix 
     instructions, helpdesk schedule and ?.  Copies of the notebook would 
     reside in the computer labs and also at the helpdesk (John G. Doug O. 
     George, Terralyn, Sharon).  Hopefully we can put together a one page 
     handout to be put in the new student packets to inform the students 
     about places to look for more GIS/RS information (Sharon C., Ruth W., 
     Brett B., Liane G) 
        An area that needs addressing is how can we best meet the needs of 
     researchers and students in the area of project conceptualization, 
     design, and implementation.  In addition, programming skills are often 
     needed by students and researchers and currently this is not 
     available.  This two areas usually involves a large commitment of 
     time.  Much more time than intended with a commitment to participate 
     on the helpdesk.  A seminar series was suggested to help people 
     identify who is working in what areas of GIS and remote sensing 
     (Sharon C., Brett B.).    The question was raised about the 
     possibility of having a paid faculty position to do GIS/RS consulting 
     similar to the statistical consulting now provided by QSG and also 
     teaching some college courses .  
        Another area which is lacking is providing quick maps and analyses 
     for non GIS/RS users.  Frequently we are asked to make a map of a 
     study area,  to determine the length of a stream, or the percentage of 
     an area in agriculture.  These are all simple questions.  But 
     difficult for someone who has no GIS/RS knowledge.  Teaching someone 
     would take more time than to provide the quick map or answer to their 
     question.  Right now, it a question of trying to find a generous 
     person who is willing to do this.  This would be a perfect position 
     for a graduate student to provide this service and also increase their 
     knowledge of GIS and remote sensing..   
     
                
     NEXT MEETING DATE
     Sept 24, 10:00 Peavy 101
     
     MEETING ATTENDEES
     Kristen Hychka, George Lienkaemper, Kelly Christiansen, Robert 
     Kennedy, Michael Wing, Mike Lefsky, Phil Sollins, John Gray, Brett 
     Butler, Liane Guild, Jonathan Brooks, Brad St. Clair, Don Henshaw, 
     Hazel Hammond, Kai Snyder, Terralyn Vandetta, Doug Oetter, Sharon 
     Clarke