[SDI-Africa] Fw: [Sdi-ea] Re: Open GIS training opportunity in Nairobi, October-November

[Kate Lance]

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: "cgnicholas at alamedanet.net" <cgnicholas at alamedanet.net>
To: Willy Simons <wsimons at esriea.co.ke>
Cc: Kate Lance <lancekt at aya.yale.edu>; Mick Wilson <mick.wilson at unep.org>; sdi-ea at als.unep.org; tzgisug at habari.co.tz; sdi-africa at lists.gsdi.org; skunkworks at my.co.ke
Sent: Friday, September 21, 2007 7:38:39 PM
Subject: RE: [Sdi-ea] Re: [SDI-Africa] Open GIS training opportunity in


> why it is than anyone with an Internet connection is using Google Earth

Could it possibly be that Google and Microsoft are subsidizing their
'Earth' efforts with enough money to represent a significant amount of an 
East African nation's GDP?  I mean, Microsoft is going to spend >$100
million on content alone this year, and a single DigitalGlobe scene you
see in Google Earth would cost several thousand dollars for a government
to purchase...so why bother? Just get ready for a lot of advertsing...

I could go on and on about the Geography network, unep.net, etc ,etc, but
what's the point?

Another online service people might consider that plugs into mapping
products, supports historical change detection, and has way more imagery
than either Google or Microsoft, is GlobeXplorer, as per:

http://www.globexplorer.com/products/imageconnect-suite.shtml

It isn't free...but extremely reasonable considering what you get.
GlobeX pays royalties to their data suppliers, and is therefore a
sustainable, not a subsidized, foodchain.

I know UNGIWG has a few GlobeXplorer seat licenses...talk to Lorant Czaran.

Chris

> Dear all,
>
> Anyone serious about the promotion of GIS needs to start thinking about
> the use / consumption of geo-information services. It honestly doesn't
> matter whether one uses opensource, ArcGIS or MapInfo, since any road will
> do if we are heading in no direction. We already have heaps of data in
> this country, but little or no information that helps us in our planning
> and decision-making. Blame it on the ignorance of the masses and
> politicians, before you wonder why it is than anyone with an Internet
> connection is using Google Earth and ask yourself where these GIS users
> learned their skills.
>
> Kenya doesn't even have a national portal for geo-information, yet our
> KNSDI lead agency has all the required software to build such a portal. I
> sincerely believe that the underlying problem is a lack of vision, skills
> and political will, not the high cost of commercial GIS software. Proof me
> wrong if you can, since the entire GIS community and the nation as a whole
> stands to benefit if we can start moving forward in the right direction.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Willy Simons
> Managing Director
> ESRI Eastern Africa
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: sdi-ea-bounces at als.unep.org on behalf of Kate Lance
> Sent: Fri 9/21/2007 10:43 AM
> To: Mick Wilson; sdi-ea at als.unep.org; tzgisug at habari.co.tz;
> sdi-africa at lists.gsdi.org; skunkworks at my.co.ke
> Subject: [Sdi-ea] Re: [SDI-Africa] Open GIS training opportunity in
> Nairobi,October-November
>
>
> a few more details onto what Mick already highlighted....
>
> Potential & Existing GIS users Training
> Organized by: Kenya National Spatial Data Infrastructure (KNSDI) at
> African Institute for Capacity Development (AICAD).
> Potential GIS Users:
> 15TH October - 19TH October 2007 & 22ND October - 26TH October 2007
> At a subsidised fee of K.Shs 2,000.
> The course has been designed to promote the application of GIS in various
> organizations. It was developed after GIS user training needs survey and
> assessment was done. From the survey it emerged that there are many
> potential users who are trained in GIS but who have never had
> opportunities to apply the expertise. The high cost of acquiring the GIS
> software and the annual licenses was cited as an impediment; hence the
> decision to train the participant on open source free GIS software. The
> participants will be trained on Quantum open source GIS software.
> The course will be delivered in practical atmosphere by qualified GIS
> experts.
>  Existing GIS Users Course:
> 29TH October - 2ND November 2007 & 5TH November - 9TH November 2007
> At a subsidised fee of K.Shs 4,000.
> The course has been designed for promoting optimal utilization of GIS
> software. It was also developed to address the user needs as captured
> during the assessment survey. It was noted that most users utilize less
> than 10% of the functionalities available in the software. This course is
> intended to expose the users to various functionalities in GIS open source
> software, Arc GIS and Map-Info softwares.
> Qualifying participants will be Public & private organisations,
> professional bodies, research organizations and interested individuals
> from Kenya. Participants will have to meet their traveling and
> accommodation costs. Lunch, 2 teas and transport from Nairobi city centre
> will be provided. Applications should reach KNSDI Secretariat P.O. Box
> 30046 - 00100, NAIROBI. E-mail:  knsdi_secretariat at yahoo.com, before 30th
> September 2007, for application form visit: www.knsdi.go.ke
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Mick Wilson <Mick.Wilson at unep.org>
> To: sdi-ea at als.unep.org; tzgisug at habari.co.tz; sdi-africa at lists.gsdi.org;
> skunkworks at my.co.ke
> Sent: Friday, September 21, 2007 9:34:10 AM
> Subject: [SDI-Africa] Open GIS training opportunity in Nairobi,
> October-November
>
>
>
> Today's "Daily Nation" carries on page 19 an advertisement from Survey of
> Kenya and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as sponsors of
> upcoming training opportunities in open-source GIS. As I understand it
> from announcements made at the KNSDI Standards Workshop in June, this will
> involve qGIS, postgreSQL/postGIS and related goodies. Two courses will be
> run at each of potential (19 and 26 Oct, at KSh 2000) and current GIS
> users (2 and 9 November at Ksh4000). Venue will be AICAD out next to
> JKUAT.
>
> Applications to the KNSDI secretariat by 30 Sep e-mail
> knsdi_secretariat at yahoo.com
>
> Mick Wilson
> Division of Early Warning and Assessment (DEWA)
> United Nations Environment Programme
> PO Box 30552 - Nairobi 00100, Kenya
> Tel: +254 20 7623436
> Fax: +254 20 7624315
> Email: mick.wilson at unep.org
> Web www.unep.net, www.unep.org
>


       
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