Warmerdam GeoSpatial Data Consultancy

Who is Frank Warmerdam?

I am a C/C++ developer with over 15 years of experience in the Geomatics field. I was the architect, and primary author of the PCI GeoGateway technology (as well as the ImageWorks, GCPWorks and EASI products). For more detail review my Resume.

Since leaving PCI in 1998 I have been primarily offering development and consulting services around the GDAL/OGR geospatial translator library and tools of which I am the project founder. I also have substantial experience with other open source technologies including MapServer and PROJ.4.

What do you Offer?

  1. My services as a developer to write new translators, and improve existing ones within the GDAL/OGR (GeoSpatial Abstraction Library), and to integrate GDAL/OGR into your application.

  2. My services as a consultant on geospatial data translation issues.

  3. My services as a second tier of customer support on data translation issues.

While I am a skilled general purpose programmer, with experience as a team lead, and department head, it is my desire to concentrate my efforts specifically in the area of geospatial data translation and manipulation. Therefore, I will usually decline contracts not related to geospatial data handling. You might also want to review my list of other consultants and contractors for someone with skills and experience matching your needs.

What are Your Terms?

  1. Complete payment is expected within 30 days of contract completion (client acceptance).

  2. Work on long contracts will be invoiced on a monthly basis, along with progress reports.

  3. Development work may be done on the basis of an hourly rate with an upper bound, or a fixed price for work.

  4. I do my development on my own premises. Site visits will generally cost extra over my normal hourly rate.

  5. When I write a new translator, or improve my existing translators within GDAL, I will normally retain the copyright on the code, assigning an unrestricted right to use and redistribute to my clients. Development on which I retain the copyright will sometimes be done at a discount to my normal hourly rates.

  6. My standard rate is $100USD/hr.

Why Do You Retain The Copyright?

  1. So that I can offer the same translator (or a modified version) to other clients.

  2. So that I can put the translator into the GDAL/OGR library, making it available to the general public.

What's in it for Me, the Paying Client?

While I retain the copyright of new translators placed within GDAL/OGR, there are a number of benefits to your having funded this development.

  1. You get unrestricted rights of use, and redistribution of the translator code, and the supporting libraries needed to make it work.

  2. A possibly discounted hourly rate on the contributions to GDAL/OGR.

  3. As the translator is improved within GDAL/OGR for other clients, or by other contributing developers, the improvements become available to you for no additional cost.

  4. An honoured place in the GDAL/OGR contributors document for your organization.

The only thing that you have lost in the bargain is the ability to prevent others in the geospatial industry from also utilizing the translator.

What Formats Do You Have Experience With?

I have personally been involved in the implementation of translators for the following formats, or performing substantial maintenance for these translators. A number of archaic formats have been omitted.

Raster

Vector