Introducing GIS^credits

This project was sponsored by the Chief Directorate: Spatial Planning & Information, Department of Land Affairs, Eastern Cape, South Africa (DLA).

GIS is becoming an increasingly important tool in environmental management, retail, military, police, tourism and many other spheres of our daily lives. If you use a computer or a cell phone, you have probably already used a GIS in some form without even realising it. Maybe it was a map on a web site, Google Earth, an information booth or your cell phone telling you where you are. Proprietary GIS software (software that cannot be freely shared or modified) is available that will let you do everything we describe in these worksheets and a lot more. However this software is usually very expensive or otherwise limits your freedom to copy, share and modify the software. GIS vendors sometimes make an exception for educational activities, providing cheaper or free copies of their software. They do this knowing that if teachers and learners get to know their software, they will be reluctant to learn other packages. When learners leave school they will go into the workplace and buy the commercial software, never knowing that there are free alternatives that they could be using.

With Quantum GIS, we offer an alternative - software that is free of cost and free in a social sense. You can make as many copies as you like. When learners leave school one day they can use this software to build their skills, solve problems at work and make the world a better place.

When you buy commercial software, you limit your options for the future. By learning, using and sharing Free and Open Source Software, you are building your own skills, freeing money to be spent on important things like food and shelter and boosting our own economy.

By sponsoring the creation of this resource, the DLA has created a foundation to which young minds can be exposed. Exciting possibilities lie ahead when principles of free sharing of knowledge and data are embraced. For this we give our heartfelt thanks to the DLA!

We hope you enjoy using and learning QGIS in the spirit of Ubuntu!

Tim Sutton is a developer and project steering committee member of the Quantum GIS project. He is passionate about seeing GIS being Freely available to everyone.

Tim is also a founding member of Linfiniti Consulting CC. - a small business set up with the goal of helping people to learn and use open source GIS software.

Otto Dassau is the documentation maintainer and project steering committee member of the Quantum GIS project.

Otto has considerable experience in using and training people to use Free and Open Source GIS software.

Marcelle Sutton studied english and drama and is a qualified teacher.

Marcelle is also a founding member of Linfiniti Consulting CC. - a small business set up with the goal of helping people to learn and use open source GIS software.

Lerato is a grade 12 scholar living in Pretoria.

Lerato learns Geography at school and has enjoyed learning GIS with us!

Sibongile lives near Johannesburg with her young daughter. Her goal is to continue her studies and become a nurse.

Working on this project was the first time Sibongile used a computer.