[R-sig-Geo] Quick poll -- favorite GIS textbook?

[Tomislav Hengl]

Jonathan,

GIS is a rather broad field. You could split it into several 'more 
concrete' research sub-fields (classification of scientific 'fields' is 
obviously a very fuzzy area): spatial data modelling, spatial databases, 
raster GIS / remote sensing, vector data modelling, digital terrain 
modelling (geomorphometry), spatial statistics etc. Then, for each 
sub-field find the most popular source.

As a gentle introduction to GIS, I liked suggesting the Paul Bolstads 
book [http://www.paulbolstad.net/gisbook.html], but this is really an 
introduction and is mainly meant for the students in USA (also, it is 
not meant for software training courses).

A colleague of mine (Victor Olaya) has been putting together an open 
access 900 pages (!) book on GIS principles 
[http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Libro_SIG], but this is in Spanish (although 
they do actually plan an English book too 
[http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Book_Outline]).

R / GRASS / SAGA community provides numerous training and 
hands-on-software literature sources. This would be my favorites ones:

1. Spatial data modeling
- Bivand, R., Pebesma, E., Rubio, V., 2008. Applied Spatial Data 
Analysis with R. Use R Series, Springer, Heidelberg, pp. 378.

2. Spatial databases
- Obe, R.O. and Hsu, L.S., 2011. PostGIS in Action. Manning 
Publications, 552 p.
- Beaudette, D., 2011. Open Source Software Tools for Soil Scientists, 
University of California at Davis. 
[http://casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/drupal/node/95]

3. Raster GIS / remote sensing
- Neteler, M., Mitasova, H., 2008. Open Source GIS: A GRASS GIS 
Approach, 3rd Edt. Springer, The International Series in Engineering and 
Computer Science: Volume 773. 406 p.
- Hijmans, R., 2011. Geographic analysis and modeling with raster data. 
CRAN, [http://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/raster/]

4. Geomorphometry (DEMs)
- Cimmery, V. (2007-2010): SAGA User Guide, updated for SAGA version 2.0.5.
- Hengl, T., Reuter, H.I. (eds) 2008. Geomorphometry: Concepts, 
Software, Applications. Developments in Soil Science, vol. 33, Elsevier, 
772 p.

5. Space-time statistics
- Bivand, R., Pebesma, E., Rubio, V., 2008. Applied Spatial Data 
Analysis with R. Use R Series, Springer, Heidelberg, pp. 378.
- Schabenberger, O., Gotway, C.A., 2005. Statistical Methods for Spatial 
Data Analysis. Boca Raton, FL: Chapman & Hall/CRC, 488 p.
- Diggle, P.J., Ribeiro, P.J., 2006. Model-based Geostatistics. 
Springer, 230 p.

I think you would do more than a noble thing if you would promote the 
following three 'classics':

1. Bivand, R., Pebesma, E., Rubio, V., 2008. Applied Spatial Data 
Analysis with R. Use R Series, Springer, Heidelberg, pp. 378.
2. Neteler, M., Mitasova, H., 2008. Open Source GIS: A GRASS GIS 
Approach, 3rd Edt. Springer, The International Series in Engineering and 
Computer Science: Volume 773. 406 p.
3. Kabacoff, R.I., 2011. R in Action: Data analysis and graphics with R. 
Manning publications, 470 p.

HTH,

T. Hengl
http://www.wewur.wur.nl/popups/vcard.aspx?id=HENGL001


On 12-10-2011 0:07, Jonathan Greenberg wrote:
> Steve:
>
> I agree -- my primary software will be ArcGIS but I was wondering if
> any of the texts are better with general GIS principles, particularly
> if someone wants to transition from Arc to open source approaches.
>
> --j
>
> On Tue, Oct 11, 2011 at 2:13 PM, Steve Friedman
> <friedman.steve at gmail.com>  wrote:
>> While open source gis is appealing most jobs still require introductory
>> employees to use arcgis products. I'd stay away from anything else if you
>> want your students to thank you latter.
>>
>> Steve
>>
>> On Oct 11, 2011 4:33 PM, "Jonathan Greenberg"<jgrn at illinois.edu>  wrote:
>>>
>>> R-sig-geo'ers:
>>>
>>> I wanted to take a quick poll -- what is your favorite introductory
>>> GIS textbook?  I'm evaluating texts for a basic GIS course I'll be
>>> teaching next year, and I wanted to get some feedback from the
>>> open-source community.  Thanks!
>>>
>>> --j
>>>
>>> --
>>> Jonathan A. Greenberg, PhD
>>> Assistant Professor
>>> Department of Geography
>>> University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
>>> 607 South Mathews Avenue, MC 150
>>> Urbana, IL 61801
>>> Phone: 415-763-5476
>>> AIM: jgrn307, MSN: jgrn307 at hotmail.com, Gchat: jgrn307, Skype: jgrn3007
>>> http://www.geog.illinois.edu/people/JonathanGreenberg.html
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> R-sig-Geo mailing list
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>>> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-sig-geo
>>
>
>
>