GvSIG: First Impression

Just now that I am "obliged"to enter GvSIG, here my first impression.

Friendly.

As I have been printing the 371 page manual, I have formed the impression that this tool was made for AutoCAD and ArcView users. The similarity with ArcView was waiting for me with its simplicity "View of a chart on a map"but with AutoCAD not even close ... starting with the heading and distance nomenclatures using the @ style symbol that We all learned with the R12 versions and although they are considered obsolete, they are practical for surveying purposes. Of course, the building capacities are minimal but they seem almost sufficient to me.

This should be learned by Manifold, with his awkward way of "not wanting to look like ArcView" that while not bad with his handling of layouts below and the sidebar on the right; in the end it is limited in a pedagogical concept called "learning by association" ... but do not tell them that their response is the same:

"... the framework design used by some tools is obsolete ..."

Microstation has already put aside that mania that it brought by not wanting to resemble AutoCAD, although it maintains its own style, there is nothing wrong with making the bars as Windows users do. Although a long time ago he should have added a more practical nomenclature for entering bearings and distances in the AutoCAD style in his keyin ... to give an example.

Slow installation

Definitely the installation is wonderful, nothing prerequisites ... being on Java the only question is whether you want to install the virtual machine suitable for the version to be installed.

Of course, it takes a while but without obstacles. Once installed it is ready to use ... good question, can it be installed without Internet having the JVM ready?

Good manual

Although it is not the style that I would have preferred, in that a Quick book form the first two chapters and then the rest to expand the functionalities ... the teaching of the manual is not bad and especially in Spanish.

When the Manifold's were asked why they didn't make a formal manual they said that online help was the best way to keep all changes up to date, while saving you from having to add $ 25 per license on a printed manual while you got to the mailbox was already out of date ... well, who takes them off their subject ... it's not bad to be stubborn but J $$% & # lin if it were all of us Bog down In making manuals for each tool to implement.

Having a good tool is great, Manifold is, but its support for the caveman is half taken for a ride ... said there are forums. I hope the geofumados of this application that I admire so much remember that we are still "clients" and to a "client who paid for his license" you cannot say ironies such as: "please, do not waste your support tokens ... questions that are in the readme ... "ah, I forgot that they do not speak Spanish so I gain little by tearing my clothes before such a select public.

: )

In summary, I believe that Manifold is one of the best commercial GIS software solutions, at an incredible price ... if I were Oracle I would buy it.

... and I like gvSIG, we'll see how long the romance lasts.