GIS is not new to any engineers. Everyone is aware of its huge potential as an application in engineering. An engineer in a panchayath or municipality obviously will help from a GIS software, but can we afford to have an expensive software? Should we continue managing our databases in piles of paper and maps ? Are there any FREE GIS software which anyone can make use of?

Quantum GIS (QGIS) is a user friendly Open Source Geographic Information System (GIS) that runs on Linux, Unix, Mac OSX, and Windows. QGIS supports vector, raster, and database formats. QGIS is licensed under the GNU Public LicenseQGIS is a cross-platform (Linux, Windows, Mac) open source application with many common GIS features and functions. The major features include:

1.    View and overlay vector and raster data in different formats and projections without conversion to an internal or common format. Supported formats include:

• spatially-enabled PostgreSQL tables using PostGIS and SpatiaLite,
• most vector formats supported by the OGR library*, including ESRI shapefiles, MapInfo, SDTS and GML.
• raster formats supported by the GDAL library*, such as digital elevation models, aerial photography or landsat imagery,
• GRASS locations and mapsets,
• online spatial data served as OGC-compliant WMS or WFS;

2.      Create maps and interactively explore spatial data with a friendly graphical user interface. The many helpful tools available in the GUI include:

• on the fly projection,
• print composer,
• overview panel,
• spatial bookmarks,
• identify/select features,
• edit/view/search attributes,
• feature labeling,
• vector diagram overlay
• change vector and raster symbology,
• add a graticule layer,
• decorate your map with a north arrow, scale bar and copyright label,
• save and restore projects

3.      Create, edit and export spatial data using:

• digitizing tools for GRASS and shapefile formats,
• the georeferencer plugin,
• GPS tools to import and export GPX format, convert other GPS formats to GPX, or down/upload directly to a GPS unit

4.      Perform spatial analysis using the fTools plugin for Shapefiles or the integrated GRASS plugin, including:

• map algebra,
• terrain analysis,
• hydrologic modeling,
• network analysis,
• and many others

5.      Publish your map on the internet using the export to Mapfile capability (requires a webserver with UMN MapServer installed) 

6.      Adapt Quantum GIS to your special needs through the extensible plugin architecture.

Download QGIS here

NRDB is a free gis tool for developing and distributing environmental databases. Its aim is to provide people in developing countries with a powerful yet simple tool to assist in the managing of their own resources.

NRDB allows spatial reference to your database, create thematic maps, support queries, create reports, graphs and charts, digitise data, import and export data from spreadsheets, shape files and data files.

NRDB also offers NRDB Web; a tool allowing users to query maps through your website. Maps are produced from a spatial database created using NRDBPro.

Download NRDB here

http://www.nrdb.co.uk/download.php
Please contact for training in GIS applications.

A geospatial resource portal for your GIS queries and resources.
http://www.gisdevelopment.net/