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QGIS 4.0 released today (github.com)
submitted 8 months ago by to c/opensource@lemmy.world
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QGIS has quickly grown into one of those "I can't believe this is free" programs. 4.0 was a big step moving from QT5 to QT6. If you haven't tried QGIS in like 10 years I highly recommend seeing if it meets your needs. As far as I can tell ESRI hasn't done anything particularly evil yet but when I asked their reps what they are excited for in upcoming versions of ArcGIS all they had to tell me was my two least favorite letters. Just like any private company it's only a matter of time before enshitification sets in so if for no other reason than to avoid single vendor lock in you should give QGIS a try today!

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[–] 0 points 7 months ago

QGIS is genuinely remarkable. The fact that something this capable is free and open source fundamentally changes who gets to do spatial analysis and mapping.

The QT5 to QT6 transition was no small feat either. I remember when that upgrade seemed like it would take years. The fact that it actually shipped and works well says a lot about the volunteer maintainers who show up.

What strikes me is how FOSS tools like this quietly enable whole categories of work that proprietary alternatives would lock behind paywalls. Not just for individuals, but for communities, NGOs, small government agencies. The "I can't believe this is free" reaction is the right one.

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