MOSS

Map Overlay and Statistical System (MOSS)

Scope

This wiki page summarizes all currently available facts, links and references about the first open source GIS application MOSS.

Significance for OSGeo

The annual OSGeo price is named after the late Sol Katz, one of the project members of MOSS. Sol_Katz_Award@OSGeo-Wiki

MOSS-related Ressources

• Wikipedia: Map_Overlay_and_Statistical_System
• OSGeo: Open_Source_GIS_History (points to broken blm-ftp-site: MOSS is still available to download (ftp://ftp.blm.gov/pub/gis/))
• [https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70013449 EVOLUTION OF THE MOSS GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR 32-BIT COMPUTER SYSTEMS.com/site/reedsgishistory/Home/short-history-of-the-moss-gis short-history-of-the-moss-gis]
• On-line manual from the PC Version of MOSS as developed by Saul Katz
• Reed, C.R. 1982, Map Overlay and Statistical System User's Manual, Western Energy and Land Use Team, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, Fort Collins, Colorado.
• Reed, C., 1984, Map Overlay and Statistical System (MOSS), System Reference Manual, prepared by Autometric, Inc., Falls Church, VA
• MOSS user's manual (@USGS)
• Carl Reed's GIS History Notes
• User needs assessment for an operational geographic information system
• A 125 year history of topographic mapping and GIS in the U.S. Geological Survey 1884-2009, part 2: 1980-2009
• [Carl Reed GIS History Fort Collins]
• PC-MOSS VERSION 1.0 USER AND PROGRAMMER DOCUMENTATION (IBIBLIO)
• Implement of the computer-program system MOSS
• File:Draft Guidelines for Use of ADSARC and MOSSARC Commands 1993.pdf (Source: BLM Library, 2019. Link broken: 20210125) [preserved content: Internet Archive / Wayback machine]
• File:Conversion of an ARC-INFO Coverage Containing Multipe Attribute Data to a MOSS.pdf(Source: BLM Library, 2019)
• | Appendix C MOSS Line Styles and Font Styles ]

Points of contact

• BLM: Deborah Harnke: Librarian (Reference)
• MOSS: Carl Reed
• MOSS repository 2020 (potentionally transient): Māris Nartiss
• MOSS transient GitHub repository (2021 - ...): Peter Löwe
• sdts2dem utility: Jeff McKenna

MOSS Code Evolution (1978 - 1985)

(according to Carl Reed, personal communication, September 2020)

1. Carl programmed the original version of MOSS on a CDC mainframe (interactive to a Tek 4010). This version was completed in 1978/79.
2. In 1979 he ported the CDC code to a General C330 (AOS). This is the version that was then installed at some of the BLM State Offices. This is also the version that was integrated with WAMS.
3. In 1980, the code was ported to DG Desktop (AOS) for a BLM field application for monitoring and mapping lightning strikes. This may be the very first use of a GIS integrated with a real time sensor system!
4. In 1983 or so MOSS was ported MOSS/MAPS/COS/WAMS to an HP 550 (UNIX) for the US Army (ETL now AGC). This was for the Terrain Analysis Work Station ([ https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a167473.pdf TAWS]) project. TAWS was a field deployable, mobile GIS and remote sensing capability.
5. In 1984 Carl converted MOSS to a DEC VAX (VMS) for the DMA Digital Land Mass Simulation activity.
6. In 1985 the MOSS Arc/Node and DBMS Design project was done. This work was funded by the USGS EROS Data Center

MOSS Codebase Search & Rescue Effort (2019 - 2021)

1. 20190327: BLM ceased during the last year (date unknown) to host the MOSS sources on its FTP site. The BLM library did not archive a digital copy. The original author, Carl Reed has been contacted by Peter Loewe (PL) for a copy of the source code (status:pending).
2. 20190328 Proposal to the OSGeo board to recognize MOSS as a OSGeo heritage project, to ensure future access to the codebase (if recoverable).
3. 20190329: The wayback-machine of the Internet Archive did take snapshots of the FTP site, but apparently not the subdirectories: https://web.archive.org/web/*/ftp://ftp.blm.gov/pub/gis/
4. 20190610: The BLM library was able to provide several scanned documents regarding MOSS (to be uploaded to this wiki). PL asked them to investigate wether a digital copy could still exist offline at BLM.
5. 20180613: BLM reports that a digital copy of the codebase has not been retained.
6. 20200904: Māris Nartiss discovers a remaining copy of the MOSS codebase.
7. 20200917: Temporary (non-permanent) MOSS code archive at DIW Berlin
8. 20200928: Board decision to make MOSS the first OSGeo Heritage Project.
9. 20210424: MOSS code archive uploaded to transient GitHub repo (to be replaced by an OSGeo repo as soon as possible)
10. 20210426: The MOSS code archive is long term preserved in the open access repository Zenodo. It can now be cited by a persistent identifier (DOI): https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4719685
11. 20210427: Presentation Raiders of the lost code at the European Geoscience Union General Assembly 2021 about the result of the Search and Rescue effort (video).