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Glossary

C++

C++ is a powerful, high-performance programming language widely used for system/software development, game programming, and real-time simulations. It extends the C language by adding object-oriented features, allowing developers to create complex applications with reusable code. Known for its efficiency and control over system resources, C++ is favored in industries where performance is critical. It remains a cornerstone language in computer science, offering both low-level memory manipulation and high-level abstractions.

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Command-Line Interface

A Command-Line Interface (CLI) is a text-based interface used to interact with a computer’s operating system or software by typing commands. It provides users with precise control over system functions, allowing for automation, script execution, and advanced configurations that might not be available through graphical interfaces. CLIs are favored by power users and developers for their efficiency and the ability to perform complex tasks quickly. Despite their minimalistic appearance, they offer a powerful way to manage and manipulate systems and applications.

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contours

In cartography, a contour line (often just called a “contour”) joins points of equal elevation (height) above a given level, such as mean sea level. A contour map is a map illustrated with contour lines, for example a topographic map, which thus shows valleys and hills, and the steepness or gentleness of slopes.

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Digital Elevation Model

A Digital Elevation Model (DEM) is a 3D representation of a terrain’s surface, created from elevation data collected at specific intervals. It is used in various applications like geographic information systems (GIS), modeling, and simulation to analyze and visualize topographic features.

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Docker

Docker is a tool that is used to automate the deployment of applications in lightweight containers so that applications can work efficiently in different environments in isolation.

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DPI

Dots per inch (DPI, or dpi) is a measure of spatial printing, video or image scanner dot density, in particular the number of individual dots that can be placed in a line within the span of 1 inch (2.54 cm). Similarly, dots per centimetre (d/cm or dpcm) refers to the number of individual dots that can be placed within a line of 1 centimetre (0.394 in).

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GDAL

GDAL is a translator library for raster and vector geospatial data formats that is released under an MIT style Open Source License by the Open Source Geospatial Foundation. As a library, it presents a single raster abstract data model and single vector abstract data model to the calling application for all supported formats. It also comes with a variety of useful command line utilities for data translation and processing.

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Graphical User Interface

A graphical user interface, or GUI, is a form of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices through graphical icons and visual indicators such as secondary notation. In many applications, GUIs are used instead of text-based UIs, which are based on typed command labels or text navigation. GUIs were introduced in reaction to the perceived steep learning curve of command-line interfaces (CLIs), which require commands to be typed on a computer keyboard.

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ISOM

The International Specification for Orienteering Maps (ISOM) sets standardized guidelines for creating consistent and accurate orienteering maps. It defines map scales, symbols, and colors to ensure clarity and fairness in orienteering competitions.

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Karttapullautin

Karttapullautin is an application that is designed to generate highly accurate maps out of LiDAR data input files. Built using the Rust programming language, Karttapullautin takes advantage of Rust’s performance to deliver fast results on Linux, Mac and Windows.

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LASTools

LAStools is a highly efficient software library for processing LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) data, widely used in geospatial analysis and remote sensing. It provides a comprehensive set of tools for tasks such as data conversion, filtering, and classification, enabling users to handle large point clouds with speed and precision.

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LiDAR

LiDAR (an acronym of “light detection and ranging” or “laser imaging, detection, and ranging”) is a method for determining ranges by targeting an object or a surface with a laser and measuring the time for the reflected light to return to the receiver.

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Miniconda

Miniconda is a minimal installer for Conda, an open-source package management system and environment management tool. It provides a lightweight version of the Anaconda distribution, containing only Conda and its dependencies, allowing users to install additional packages as needed. Miniconda is ideal for users who want to maintain a smaller footprint and greater control over their Python environments.

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OCAD

Ocad is a software package for mapping or creating circuits on IOF-standard maps, i.e. for orienteering. There are both free and paid versions of the software, offering improved ergonomics and better technical rendering.

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OpenStreetMap

The OpenStreetMap project is a collaborative, open-source initiative that creates and provides free geographic data and mapping to anyone who wants to use it. Built and maintained by a global community of volunteers, it offers detailed and editable maps, which are used in various applications, from navigation to urban planning. OpenStreetMap emphasizes openness and accessibility, allowing users to contribute and access data freely.

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PDAL

PDAL is Point Data Abstraction Library. It is a C/C++ open source library and applications for translating and processing point cloud data. It is not limited to LiDAR data, although the focus and impetus for many of the tools in the library have their origins in LiDAR.

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Perl

Perl is a versatile, high-level programming language known for its strengths in text processing and scripting. Often described as the “Swiss Army knife” of programming, Perl excels at handling regular expressions, file manipulation, and rapid prototyping. It is widely used in system administration, web development, and bioinformatics for its flexibility and powerful built-in features. Perl’s motto, “There’s more than one way to do it,” reflects its adaptability and the creative freedom it offers developers.

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raster

In geomatics, a raster is a grid-based data structure used to represent spatial information, where each cell or pixel holds a value corresponding to a specific geographic attribute, such as elevation, temperature, or land cover. Rasters are commonly used in remote sensing, satellite imagery, and geographic information systems (GIS) to store and analyze continuous data over a defined area. This format is ideal for modeling and processing spatial phenomena that vary smoothly across a landscape.

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Rust

Rust is a general-purpose programming language emphasizing performance, type safety, and concurrency. It enforces memory safety, meaning that all references point to valid memory, without a garbage collector. To simultaneously enforce memory safety and prevent data races, its “borrow checker” tracks the object lifetime of all references in a program during compiling.

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Shapefile

The shapefile format is a geospatial vector data format for geographic information system (GIS) software. It is developed and regulated by Esri as a mostly open specification for data interoperability among Esri and other GIS software products. The shapefile format can spatially describe vector features: points, lines, and polygons, representing, for example, water wells, rivers, and lakes. Each item usually has attributes that describe it, such as name or temperature.

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thread

In computer science, a thread is the smallest unit of execution within a process, allowing tasks to run concurrently within the same program. Threads share the same memory space and resources of the process they belong to, enabling efficient multitasking and parallelism. They are commonly used to perform multiple operations simultaneously, improving the performance and responsiveness of applications.

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