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https://github.com/gisma/perfectPeak

Introduction in spatial thinking ... and learn how to script it
https://github.com/gisma/perfectPeak

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Introduction in spatial thinking ... and learn how to script it

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README

        

# The perfect peak

## Background
This package is developed during the Advanced GIS course which is an [regular course](http://moc.environmentalinformatics-marburg.de/doku.php?id=start) within the [MSc Environmental Geography](http://www.uni-marburg.de/fb19/studium/studiengaenge/msc-environmentalgeography/index_html) at Marburg University. Actually there was a need for a straightforward example of spatial thinking & GI science. This was combined with a typical all days spatial problem. What is the background? Christian Rauch has written an [article](http://www.alpenverein.de/dav-services/panorama-magazin/dominanz-prominenz-eigenstaendigkeit-eines-berges_aid_11186.html) in the magazine of the German Alpine Club to give a solution of this burning problem of most of the mountaineers.

## Introduction in spatial thinking ...
The basic idea of the article is, that one is able to calculate a so called value of *independence* (Eigenstaendigkeit) for any mountain or summit. This results in a rank list of *perfect peaks*. In the beginning it seems to be a pretty simple question, but step by step it turns out into a almost arbitrarily complex spatial problem. And very suitable for our needs it is not charged with any scientific claims. So we will start and try to understand the problem.

## ... and learn how to express it in terms of a script
Obviously the *perfectPeak* package is implemented in R. Nevertheless it is neither written as an *generic* R package nor it want's to be a course in scripting techniques. If one focus it technically, it is an example of how to use R for the integration of GIS functionality from external software and Desktop GIS. It shows commandline and API calls as well as the powerful integration of some major spatial R wrapper packages.

But more likely it is the attempt to support *non programmers* diving into spatial thinking and getting a straightforward but nevertheless effective approach to implement and apply their concepts using the advanced capabilities of the great and growing GI open source software that is available out there.

## References
Find further information at:

[Marburg Open Courseware - Advanced GIS](http://moc.environmentalinformatics-marburg.de/doku.php?id=courses:msc:advanced-gis:description)

Rauch. C. (2012): [Der perfekte Gipfel](http://www.alpenverein.de/dav-services/panorama-magazin/dominanz-prominenz-eigenstaendigkeit-eines-berges_aid_11186.html). Panorama, 2/2012, S. 112.