{"id":2072,"date":"2025-12-11T14:47:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-11T19:47:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/?page_id=2072"},"modified":"2026-03-16T13:36:39","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T17:36:39","slug":"frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/","title":{"rendered":"Frequently Asked Questions \u2013 Transition to TerrSet liberaGIS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-general\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">General<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>What is TerrSet liberaGIS?<\/summary>\n<p>TerrSet liberaGIS is the new free version of the TerrSet\/IDRISI software. It is set to be released on December 2, 2024, and includes significant updates and improvements. This 20th release, made possible by the merger of Clark Labs with Clark Center for Geospatial Analytics, will make the software free to all users. The freeware software is named \u201cliberaGIS,\u201d derived from the Esperanto word \u201cliberagis\u201d meaning liberated, set free.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Will TerrSet liberaGIS be available for free to everyone?<\/summary>\n<p>Yes.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>How do I get the new version?<\/summary>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Download the Latest Version:<br>Go to our <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/ClarkCGA\/terrset\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">GitHub page for TerrSet<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Access the Latest Release:<br>Go to the Download section and click on Releases. Select the most recent release of liberaGIS (it will be listed at the top).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Download the Required Files:<br>Scroll down to the Assets section under the release.<br>Download the installer file (e.g., setup_TerrSet_liberaGIS_v20.02.exe).<br>If you do not have Microsoft Office installed, also download AccessDatabaseEngine.exe to ensure database functionality.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Installation Instructions:<br>Installation guidelines are included within the downloaded zip file.<br>Important: Ensure you have administrative privileges on your computer.<br>Right-click the setup file and select \u201cRun as Administrator\u201d to begin installation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>What institution developed TerrSet liberaGIS?<\/summary>\n<p>IDRISI was initially developed by Clark University Professor Ron Eastman in 1987. This led to the development of Clark Labs to support and continue development of the system. As new applications such as the Land Change Modeler and the Earth Trends Modeler were added to the IDRISI foundation, the full suite was renamed TerrSet. IDRISI is still the GIS and Image Processing foundation upon which all tools in the suite are built. Now, Clark Labs has merged with the Clark Center for Geospatial Analytics, facilitating the free release of the TerrSet\/IDRISI system.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>What will be the differences between TerrSet2020 and TerrSet liberaGIS?<\/summary>\n<p>TerrSet liberaGIS, set to be released on December 2, 2024, will be an open-access version available for free, unlike the commercial TerrSet 2020. The liberaGIS version will also feature an improved Land Change Modeler with support for Jurisdictional and Nested REDD (JNR), a new tool for climate teleconnection analysis in the Earth Trends Modeler, and a major suite of tools for raster editing. It will also remove support for some discontinued external tools and streamline the system by discontinuing certain deprecated tools like the Ecosystem Services Modeler, Gstat, parts of the Climate Change Adaptation Modeler and Marxan in HBM.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Why is TerrSet transitioning to open access software?<\/summary>\n<p>IDRISI was first released in 1987, as the first GIS software developed specifically for a microcomputer platform. The goal was to provide an accessible system that could perform professional level analyses with a minimum of computer resources. This required a special focus on algorithms that could function in a low-RAM environment and would require no more resources than those typically available on home and office microcomputers. Our special orientation was to the needs of scholars in the developing world. With this 20th release, TerrSet\/IDRISI will finally be set free, thereby realizing a 37-year dream to make it available to everyone, everywhere.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-licenses-and-cost\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">Licenses and Cost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>What will happen to my existing TerrSet license?<\/summary>\n<p>Perpetual (non-expiring) licenses will still be valid. Existing licenses and installations will still work, but if you need to migrate the license to a new machine, the ability to reactivate a license will only be available until Sep 2029. The free TerrSet liberaGIS contains most of the functionality of TerrSet2020 and will continue to be available. Our hope is that people will migrate to the free version over time.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>If I purchase TerrSet before it becomes free, will I receive a refund?<\/summary>\n<p>No.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Will there be a cost to use TerrSet after it becomes free?<\/summary>\n<p>No.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>I have an expiring license for TerrSet and my software is due to expire next year? What happens when it expires?<\/summary>\n<p>Your&nbsp;TerrSet&nbsp;will no longer run&nbsp;after the license expires, but you can download and install&nbsp;TerrSet&nbsp;liberaGIS&nbsp;for free&nbsp;and continue&nbsp;your work with that.&nbsp;If you are not specifically using the discontinued modules, everything will work as before.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-updates-and-features\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">Updates and Features<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>What modules will be available in TerrSet liberaGIS and which ones will be retired?<\/summary>\n<p>There will be some new tools added in LCM,&nbsp;ETM, and on-screen digitizing&nbsp;and editing.&nbsp;Some tools that connected&nbsp;to&nbsp;or used deprecated\/older versions of external third\u2013party tools may be&nbsp;discontinued,&nbsp;like the Ecosystem Services Modeler,&nbsp;Gstat, parts of the Climate Change Adaptation Modeler and&nbsp;Marxan&nbsp;in HBM.&nbsp;A complete list of the new feature set for&nbsp;liberaGIS&nbsp;version will be published closer to the release date.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Will there be any new features in TerrSet liberaGIS?<\/summary>\n<p>TerrSet&nbsp;liberaGIS&nbsp;will have a set of new tools including an&nbsp;improved Land Change Modeler with support for Jurisdictional and Nested REDD (JNR)&nbsp;and&nbsp;a new tool for climate teleconnection analysis in the Earth Trends Modeler, among others.&nbsp;A complete list of the new feature set for&nbsp;liberaGIS version will be published closer to the release date.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Will there be any updates for older versions of TerrSet?<\/summary>\n<p>No. The last update for&nbsp;TerrSet2020 is 19.08. The last update for&nbsp;TerrSet&nbsp;v.18&nbsp;is&nbsp;18.31.&nbsp; None of the&nbsp;previous&nbsp;versions of&nbsp;TerrSet&nbsp;or IDRISI will&nbsp;have any&nbsp;additional updates.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>What should campus libraries and institutions expect as to the future of their perpetual licenses?<\/summary>\n<p>Existing campus licenses will continue to work. If a license needs to be moved&nbsp;from one server to another, then it will need to be deactivated on the old server and reactivated on the new server. We will continue to support the program that can do that activation&nbsp;until Sep 2029.&nbsp;&nbsp;However, we strongly&nbsp;advise&nbsp;that you migrate&nbsp;to using&nbsp;TerrSet&nbsp;liberaGIS&nbsp;which is license-free.&nbsp;&nbsp;Campus licenses can be tricky to&nbsp;maintain&nbsp;as security measures and permission structures&nbsp;keep&nbsp;getting&nbsp;more complicated.&nbsp;To transition to&nbsp;TerrSet&nbsp;liberaGIS, you will install the new software on the client machines.&nbsp;Nothing is needed on the server.&nbsp;The old software does not need to be uninstalled initially (the two versions can co-exist), so the transition could be done gradually.&nbsp;&nbsp;However, if you uninstall one of the versions, it will uninstall some components that are common to both installations, so the other one would need to be reinstalled (although not relicensed).<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Will TerrSet liberaGIS be open source?<\/summary>\n<p>No.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Our campus has a perpetual license for TerrSet2020. Should we switch to TerrSet liberaGIS or stick with TerrSet2020? What are the pros and cons of each?<\/summary>\n<p>Consult with the professors that teach the GIS courses, as they know whether their students will need to use the modules that are being removed. The TerrSet2020 license will continue to work as a server\/client license. The latest version, TerrSet liberaGIS, is installed on the client machines and does not need a license file. You could install the new version on the clients, and begin to use the latest version, while waiting to decide if TerrSet2020 should be removed. However, if you uninstall one of the versions, it will uninstall some components that are common to both installations, so the other one would need to be reinstalled (although not relicensed).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pros of transitioning to TerrSet liberaGIS:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Easy maintenance: Having a license free version (TerrSet liberaGIS) will make maintenance of the campus license much easier in the future and will remove the need to have a license folder on the server that gives clients read\/write\/modify access to it, which will make IT people more comfortable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Newest additions: liberaGIS will include the new LCM tools \u2014 Jurisdictional and Nested REDD and Variable Transformation, the new ETM tool called SATA and some new tweaks, features and bug fixes that occured after v. 19.08 of TerrSet2020 (April 2023).&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Cons of transitioning to TerrSet liberaGIS:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You will no longer have access to Ecosystem Services Modeler, Gstat, parts of the Climate Change Adaptation Modeler and Marxan in HBM.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>When the release date gets closer, we will have a more complete list of the new feature set.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Will the new TerrSet still include the Land Change Modeleer (LCM) and Earth Trend Modeler (ETM)?<\/summary>\n<p>Yes.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-support\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">Support<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>What if I encounter issues during the transition?<\/summary>\n<p>During the transition period, tech support will continue as usual to&nbsp;assist&nbsp;with any issues. You can reach out for help via our&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/forums.clarklabs.org\">Support Center<\/a>&nbsp;to discuss issues and share solutions with other users or <a href=\"https:\/\/forums.clarklabs.org\/hc\/en-us\/requests\/new\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">submit a request<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Can the new TerrSet be installed on the same machine as an older version of TerrSet?<\/summary>\n<p>Yes.&nbsp;You can only have one of them open at a time, but both can be installed and usable on the same computer.&nbsp;However, if you uninstall one of the versions, it will uninstall some components that are common to both installations, so the other one would need to be reinstalled (although not relicensed).<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-white-color has-blue-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-646a39050eeb8407741fc840fc84c081 is-content-justification-center is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6ab7d59a wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center is-style-intro has-large-font-size\">For additional questions, please visit our&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/forums.clarklabs.org\/hc\/en-us\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Support Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>General Licenses and Cost Updates and Features Support For additional questions, please visit our&nbsp;Support Center.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"parent":9,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-2072","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Frequently Asked Questions \u2013 Transition to TerrSet liberaGIS | Center for Geospatial Analytics | Clark University<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Frequently Asked Questions \u2013 Transition to TerrSet liberaGIS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"General Licenses and Cost Updates and Features Support For additional questions, please visit our&nbsp;Support Center.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Center for Geospatial Analytics\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ClarkUniversityWorcester\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-16T17:36:39+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@clarkuniversity\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":[\"WebPage\",\"FAQPage\"],\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/\",\"name\":\"Frequently Asked Questions \u2013 Transition to TerrSet liberaGIS | Center for Geospatial Analytics | Clark University\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2025-12-11T19:47:08+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-16T17:36:39+00:00\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/\"]}],\"mainEntity\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-1\",\"0\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-2\"},\"1\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-3\"},\"2\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-4\"},\"3\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-5\"},\"4\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-6\"},\"5\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-7\"},\"6\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-8\"},\"7\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-9\"},\"8\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-10\"},\"9\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-11\"},\"10\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-12\"},\"11\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-13\"},\"12\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-14\"},\"13\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-15\"},\"14\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-16\"},\"15\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-17\"},\"16\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-18\"},\"17\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-19\"}}},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/wp-json\\\/wp\\\/v2\\\/pages\\\/2072#breadcrumbs\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":0,\"name\":\"ClarkU\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Center for Geospatial Analytics\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/\",\"name\":\"Center for Geospatial Analytics\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-1\",\"position\":1,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-1\",\"name\":\"What is TerrSet liberaGIS?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"TerrSet liberaGIS is the new free version of the TerrSet\\\/IDRISI software. It is set to be released on December 2, 2024, and includes significant updates and improvements. This 20th release, made possible by the merger of Clark Labs with Clark Center for Geospatial Analytics, will make the software free to all users. The freeware software is named \u201cliberaGIS,\u201d derived from the Esperanto word \u201cliberagis\u201d meaning liberated, set free.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-2\",\"position\":2,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-2\",\"name\":\"Will TerrSet liberaGIS be available for free to everyone?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-3\",\"position\":3,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-3\",\"name\":\"How do I get the new version?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Download the Latest Version:Go to our GitHub page for TerrSet.\\nAccess the Latest Release:Go to the Download section and click on Releases. Select the most recent release of liberaGIS (it will be listed at the top).\\nDownload the Required Files:Scroll down to the Assets section under the release.Download the installer file (e.g., setup_TerrSet_liberaGIS_v20.02.exe).If you do not have Microsoft Office installed, also download AccessDatabaseEngine.exe to ensure database functionality.\\nInstallation Instructions:Installation guidelines are included within the downloaded zip file.Important: Ensure you have administrative privileges on your computer.Right-click the setup file and select \u201cRun as Administrator\u201d to begin installation.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-4\",\"position\":4,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-4\",\"name\":\"What institution developed TerrSet liberaGIS?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"IDRISI was initially developed by Clark University Professor Ron Eastman in 1987. This led to the development of Clark Labs to support and continue development of the system. As new applications such as the Land Change Modeler and the Earth Trends Modeler were added to the IDRISI foundation, the full suite was renamed TerrSet. IDRISI is still the GIS and Image Processing foundation upon which all tools in the suite are built. Now, Clark Labs has merged with the Clark Center for Geospatial Analytics, facilitating the free release of the TerrSet\\\/IDRISI system.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-5\",\"position\":5,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-5\",\"name\":\"What will be the differences between TerrSet2020 and TerrSet liberaGIS?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"TerrSet liberaGIS, set to be released on December 2, 2024, will be an open-access version available for free, unlike the commercial TerrSet 2020. The liberaGIS version will also feature an improved Land Change Modeler with support for Jurisdictional and Nested REDD (JNR), a new tool for climate teleconnection analysis in the Earth Trends Modeler, and a major suite of tools for raster editing. It will also remove support for some discontinued external tools and streamline the system by discontinuing certain deprecated tools like the Ecosystem Services Modeler, Gstat, parts of the Climate Change Adaptation Modeler and Marxan in HBM.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-6\",\"position\":6,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-6\",\"name\":\"Why is TerrSet transitioning to open access software?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"IDRISI was first released in 1987, as the first GIS software developed specifically for a microcomputer platform. The goal was to provide an accessible system that could perform professional level analyses with a minimum of computer resources. This required a special focus on algorithms that could function in a low-RAM environment and would require no more resources than those typically available on home and office microcomputers. Our special orientation was to the needs of scholars in the developing world. With this 20th release, TerrSet\\\/IDRISI will finally be set free, thereby realizing a 37-year dream to make it available to everyone, everywhere.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-7\",\"position\":7,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-7\",\"name\":\"What will happen to my existing TerrSet license?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Perpetual (non-expiring) licenses will still be valid. Existing licenses and installations will still work, but if you need to migrate the license to a new machine, the ability to reactivate a license will only be available until Sep 2029. The free TerrSet liberaGIS contains most of the functionality of TerrSet2020 and will continue to be available. Our hope is that people will migrate to the free version over time.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-8\",\"position\":8,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-8\",\"name\":\"If I purchase TerrSet before it becomes free, will I receive a refund?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"No.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-9\",\"position\":9,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-9\",\"name\":\"Will there be a cost to use TerrSet after it becomes free?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"No.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-10\",\"position\":10,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-10\",\"name\":\"I have an expiring license for TerrSet and my software is due to expire next year? What happens when it expires?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Your&nbsp;TerrSet&nbsp;will no longer run&nbsp;after the license expires, but you can download and install&nbsp;TerrSet&nbsp;liberaGIS&nbsp;for free&nbsp;and continue&nbsp;your work with that.&nbsp;If you are not specifically using the discontinued modules, everything will work as before.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-11\",\"position\":11,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-11\",\"name\":\"What modules will be available in TerrSet liberaGIS and which ones will be retired?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"There will be some new tools added in LCM,&nbsp;ETM, and on-screen digitizing&nbsp;and editing.&nbsp;Some tools that connected&nbsp;to&nbsp;or used deprecated\\\/older versions of external third\u2013party tools may be&nbsp;discontinued,&nbsp;like the Ecosystem Services Modeler,&nbsp;Gstat, parts of the Climate Change Adaptation Modeler and&nbsp;Marxan&nbsp;in HBM.&nbsp;A complete list of the new feature set for&nbsp;liberaGIS&nbsp;version will be published closer to the release date.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-12\",\"position\":12,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-12\",\"name\":\"Will there be any new features in TerrSet liberaGIS?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"TerrSet&nbsp;liberaGIS&nbsp;will have a set of new tools including an&nbsp;improved Land Change Modeler with support for Jurisdictional and Nested REDD (JNR)&nbsp;and&nbsp;a new tool for climate teleconnection analysis in the Earth Trends Modeler, among others.&nbsp;A complete list of the new feature set for&nbsp;liberaGIS version will be published closer to the release date.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-13\",\"position\":13,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-13\",\"name\":\"Will there be any updates for older versions of TerrSet?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"No. The last update for&nbsp;TerrSet2020 is 19.08. The last update for&nbsp;TerrSet&nbsp;v.18&nbsp;is&nbsp;18.31.&nbsp; None of the&nbsp;previous&nbsp;versions of&nbsp;TerrSet&nbsp;or IDRISI will&nbsp;have any&nbsp;additional updates.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-14\",\"position\":14,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-14\",\"name\":\"What should campus libraries and institutions expect as to the future of their perpetual licenses?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Existing campus licenses will continue to work. If a license needs to be moved&nbsp;from one server to another, then it will need to be deactivated on the old server and reactivated on the new server. We will continue to support the program that can do that activation&nbsp;until Sep 2029.&nbsp;&nbsp;However, we strongly&nbsp;advise&nbsp;that you migrate&nbsp;to using&nbsp;TerrSet&nbsp;liberaGIS&nbsp;which is license-free.&nbsp;&nbsp;Campus licenses can be tricky to&nbsp;maintain&nbsp;as security measures and permission structures&nbsp;keep&nbsp;getting&nbsp;more complicated.&nbsp;To transition to&nbsp;TerrSet&nbsp;liberaGIS, you will install the new software on the client machines.&nbsp;Nothing is needed on the server.&nbsp;The old software does not need to be uninstalled initially (the two versions can co-exist), so the transition could be done gradually.&nbsp;&nbsp;However, if you uninstall one of the versions, it will uninstall some components that are common to both installations, so the other one would need to be reinstalled (although not relicensed).\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-15\",\"position\":15,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-15\",\"name\":\"Will TerrSet liberaGIS be open source?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"No.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-16\",\"position\":16,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-16\",\"name\":\"Our campus has a perpetual license for TerrSet2020. Should we switch to TerrSet liberaGIS or stick with TerrSet2020? What are the pros and cons of each?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Consult with the professors that teach the GIS courses, as they know whether their students will need to use the modules that are being removed. The TerrSet2020 license will continue to work as a server\\\/client license. The latest version, TerrSet liberaGIS, is installed on the client machines and does not need a license file. You could install the new version on the clients, and begin to use the latest version, while waiting to decide if TerrSet2020 should be removed. However, if you uninstall one of the versions, it will uninstall some components that are common to both installations, so the other one would need to be reinstalled (although not relicensed).&nbsp;\\nPros of transitioning to TerrSet liberaGIS:&nbsp;&nbsp;\\n\\nEasy maintenance: Having a license free version (TerrSet liberaGIS) will make maintenance of the campus license much easier in the future and will remove the need to have a license folder on the server that gives clients read\\\/write\\\/modify access to it, which will make IT people more comfortable.\\nNewest additions: liberaGIS will include the new LCM tools \u2014 Jurisdictional and Nested REDD and Variable Transformation, the new ETM tool called SATA and some new tweaks, features and bug fixes that occured after v. 19.08 of TerrSet2020 (April 2023).&nbsp;&nbsp;\\n\\nCons of transitioning to TerrSet liberaGIS:&nbsp;\\n\\nYou will no longer have access to Ecosystem Services Modeler, Gstat, parts of the Climate Change Adaptation Modeler and Marxan in HBM.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\\n\\nWhen the release date gets closer, we will have a more complete list of the new feature set.&nbsp;\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-17\",\"position\":17,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-17\",\"name\":\"Will the new TerrSet still include the Land Change Modeleer (LCM) and Earth Trend Modeler (ETM)?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-18\",\"position\":18,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-18\",\"name\":\"What if I encounter issues during the transition?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"During the transition period, tech support will continue as usual to&nbsp;assist&nbsp;with any issues. You can reach out for help via our&nbsp;Support Center&nbsp;to discuss issues and share solutions with other users or submit a request.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-19\",\"position\":19,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/geospatial-analytics\\\/terrset\\\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\\\/#faq-19\",\"name\":\"Can the new TerrSet be installed on the same machine as an older version of TerrSet?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes.&nbsp;You can only have one of them open at a time, but both can be installed and usable on the same computer.&nbsp;However, if you uninstall one of the versions, it will uninstall some components that are common to both installations, so the other one would need to be reinstalled (although not relicensed).\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Frequently Asked Questions \u2013 Transition to TerrSet liberaGIS | Center for Geospatial Analytics | Clark University","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Frequently Asked Questions \u2013 Transition to TerrSet liberaGIS","og_description":"General Licenses and Cost Updates and Features Support For additional questions, please visit our&nbsp;Support Center.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/","og_site_name":"Center for Geospatial Analytics","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ClarkUniversityWorcester","article_modified_time":"2026-03-16T17:36:39+00:00","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@clarkuniversity","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":["WebPage","FAQPage"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/","url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/","name":"Frequently Asked Questions \u2013 Transition to TerrSet liberaGIS | Center for Geospatial Analytics | Clark University","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/#website"},"datePublished":"2025-12-11T19:47:08+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-16T17:36:39+00:00","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/"]}],"mainEntity":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-1","0":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-2"},"1":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-3"},"2":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-4"},"3":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-5"},"4":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-6"},"5":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-7"},"6":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-8"},"7":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-9"},"8":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-10"},"9":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-11"},"10":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-12"},"11":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-13"},"12":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-14"},"13":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-15"},"14":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-16"},"15":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-17"},"16":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-18"},"17":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-19"}}},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2072#breadcrumbs","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":0,"name":"ClarkU","item":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Center for Geospatial Analytics","item":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/","name":"Center for Geospatial Analytics","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-1","position":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-1","name":"What is TerrSet liberaGIS?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"TerrSet liberaGIS is the new free version of the TerrSet\/IDRISI software. It is set to be released on December 2, 2024, and includes significant updates and improvements. This 20th release, made possible by the merger of Clark Labs with Clark Center for Geospatial Analytics, will make the software free to all users. The freeware software is named \u201cliberaGIS,\u201d derived from the Esperanto word \u201cliberagis\u201d meaning liberated, set free.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-2","position":2,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-2","name":"Will TerrSet liberaGIS be available for free to everyone?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-3","position":3,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-3","name":"How do I get the new version?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Download the Latest Version:Go to our GitHub page for TerrSet.\nAccess the Latest Release:Go to the Download section and click on Releases. Select the most recent release of liberaGIS (it will be listed at the top).\nDownload the Required Files:Scroll down to the Assets section under the release.Download the installer file (e.g., setup_TerrSet_liberaGIS_v20.02.exe).If you do not have Microsoft Office installed, also download AccessDatabaseEngine.exe to ensure database functionality.\nInstallation Instructions:Installation guidelines are included within the downloaded zip file.Important: Ensure you have administrative privileges on your computer.Right-click the setup file and select \u201cRun as Administrator\u201d to begin installation.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-4","position":4,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-4","name":"What institution developed TerrSet liberaGIS?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"IDRISI was initially developed by Clark University Professor Ron Eastman in 1987. This led to the development of Clark Labs to support and continue development of the system. As new applications such as the Land Change Modeler and the Earth Trends Modeler were added to the IDRISI foundation, the full suite was renamed TerrSet. IDRISI is still the GIS and Image Processing foundation upon which all tools in the suite are built. Now, Clark Labs has merged with the Clark Center for Geospatial Analytics, facilitating the free release of the TerrSet\/IDRISI system.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-5","position":5,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-5","name":"What will be the differences between TerrSet2020 and TerrSet liberaGIS?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"TerrSet liberaGIS, set to be released on December 2, 2024, will be an open-access version available for free, unlike the commercial TerrSet 2020. The liberaGIS version will also feature an improved Land Change Modeler with support for Jurisdictional and Nested REDD (JNR), a new tool for climate teleconnection analysis in the Earth Trends Modeler, and a major suite of tools for raster editing. It will also remove support for some discontinued external tools and streamline the system by discontinuing certain deprecated tools like the Ecosystem Services Modeler, Gstat, parts of the Climate Change Adaptation Modeler and Marxan in HBM.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-6","position":6,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-6","name":"Why is TerrSet transitioning to open access software?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"IDRISI was first released in 1987, as the first GIS software developed specifically for a microcomputer platform. The goal was to provide an accessible system that could perform professional level analyses with a minimum of computer resources. This required a special focus on algorithms that could function in a low-RAM environment and would require no more resources than those typically available on home and office microcomputers. Our special orientation was to the needs of scholars in the developing world. With this 20th release, TerrSet\/IDRISI will finally be set free, thereby realizing a 37-year dream to make it available to everyone, everywhere.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-7","position":7,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-7","name":"What will happen to my existing TerrSet license?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Perpetual (non-expiring) licenses will still be valid. Existing licenses and installations will still work, but if you need to migrate the license to a new machine, the ability to reactivate a license will only be available until Sep 2029. The free TerrSet liberaGIS contains most of the functionality of TerrSet2020 and will continue to be available. Our hope is that people will migrate to the free version over time.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-8","position":8,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-8","name":"If I purchase TerrSet before it becomes free, will I receive a refund?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-9","position":9,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-9","name":"Will there be a cost to use TerrSet after it becomes free?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-10","position":10,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-10","name":"I have an expiring license for TerrSet and my software is due to expire next year? What happens when it expires?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Your&nbsp;TerrSet&nbsp;will no longer run&nbsp;after the license expires, but you can download and install&nbsp;TerrSet&nbsp;liberaGIS&nbsp;for free&nbsp;and continue&nbsp;your work with that.&nbsp;If you are not specifically using the discontinued modules, everything will work as before.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-11","position":11,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-11","name":"What modules will be available in TerrSet liberaGIS and which ones will be retired?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"There will be some new tools added in LCM,&nbsp;ETM, and on-screen digitizing&nbsp;and editing.&nbsp;Some tools that connected&nbsp;to&nbsp;or used deprecated\/older versions of external third\u2013party tools may be&nbsp;discontinued,&nbsp;like the Ecosystem Services Modeler,&nbsp;Gstat, parts of the Climate Change Adaptation Modeler and&nbsp;Marxan&nbsp;in HBM.&nbsp;A complete list of the new feature set for&nbsp;liberaGIS&nbsp;version will be published closer to the release date.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-12","position":12,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-12","name":"Will there be any new features in TerrSet liberaGIS?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"TerrSet&nbsp;liberaGIS&nbsp;will have a set of new tools including an&nbsp;improved Land Change Modeler with support for Jurisdictional and Nested REDD (JNR)&nbsp;and&nbsp;a new tool for climate teleconnection analysis in the Earth Trends Modeler, among others.&nbsp;A complete list of the new feature set for&nbsp;liberaGIS version will be published closer to the release date.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-13","position":13,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-13","name":"Will there be any updates for older versions of TerrSet?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. The last update for&nbsp;TerrSet2020 is 19.08. The last update for&nbsp;TerrSet&nbsp;v.18&nbsp;is&nbsp;18.31.&nbsp; None of the&nbsp;previous&nbsp;versions of&nbsp;TerrSet&nbsp;or IDRISI will&nbsp;have any&nbsp;additional updates.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-14","position":14,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-14","name":"What should campus libraries and institutions expect as to the future of their perpetual licenses?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Existing campus licenses will continue to work. If a license needs to be moved&nbsp;from one server to another, then it will need to be deactivated on the old server and reactivated on the new server. We will continue to support the program that can do that activation&nbsp;until Sep 2029.&nbsp;&nbsp;However, we strongly&nbsp;advise&nbsp;that you migrate&nbsp;to using&nbsp;TerrSet&nbsp;liberaGIS&nbsp;which is license-free.&nbsp;&nbsp;Campus licenses can be tricky to&nbsp;maintain&nbsp;as security measures and permission structures&nbsp;keep&nbsp;getting&nbsp;more complicated.&nbsp;To transition to&nbsp;TerrSet&nbsp;liberaGIS, you will install the new software on the client machines.&nbsp;Nothing is needed on the server.&nbsp;The old software does not need to be uninstalled initially (the two versions can co-exist), so the transition could be done gradually.&nbsp;&nbsp;However, if you uninstall one of the versions, it will uninstall some components that are common to both installations, so the other one would need to be reinstalled (although not relicensed).","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-15","position":15,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-15","name":"Will TerrSet liberaGIS be open source?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-16","position":16,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-16","name":"Our campus has a perpetual license for TerrSet2020. Should we switch to TerrSet liberaGIS or stick with TerrSet2020? What are the pros and cons of each?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Consult with the professors that teach the GIS courses, as they know whether their students will need to use the modules that are being removed. The TerrSet2020 license will continue to work as a server\/client license. The latest version, TerrSet liberaGIS, is installed on the client machines and does not need a license file. You could install the new version on the clients, and begin to use the latest version, while waiting to decide if TerrSet2020 should be removed. However, if you uninstall one of the versions, it will uninstall some components that are common to both installations, so the other one would need to be reinstalled (although not relicensed).&nbsp;\nPros of transitioning to TerrSet liberaGIS:&nbsp;&nbsp;\n\nEasy maintenance: Having a license free version (TerrSet liberaGIS) will make maintenance of the campus license much easier in the future and will remove the need to have a license folder on the server that gives clients read\/write\/modify access to it, which will make IT people more comfortable.\nNewest additions: liberaGIS will include the new LCM tools \u2014 Jurisdictional and Nested REDD and Variable Transformation, the new ETM tool called SATA and some new tweaks, features and bug fixes that occured after v. 19.08 of TerrSet2020 (April 2023).&nbsp;&nbsp;\n\nCons of transitioning to TerrSet liberaGIS:&nbsp;\n\nYou will no longer have access to Ecosystem Services Modeler, Gstat, parts of the Climate Change Adaptation Modeler and Marxan in HBM.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\n\nWhen the release date gets closer, we will have a more complete list of the new feature set.&nbsp;","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-17","position":17,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-17","name":"Will the new TerrSet still include the Land Change Modeleer (LCM) and Earth Trend Modeler (ETM)?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-18","position":18,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-18","name":"What if I encounter issues during the transition?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"During the transition period, tech support will continue as usual to&nbsp;assist&nbsp;with any issues. You can reach out for help via our&nbsp;Support Center&nbsp;to discuss issues and share solutions with other users or submit a request.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-19","position":19,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/terrset\/frequently-asked-questions-transition-to-terrset-liberagis\/#faq-19","name":"Can the new TerrSet be installed on the same machine as an older version of TerrSet?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes.&nbsp;You can only have one of them open at a time, but both can be installed and usable on the same computer.&nbsp;However, if you uninstall one of the versions, it will uninstall some components that are common to both installations, so the other one would need to be reinstalled (although not relicensed).","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2072","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2072"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2072\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2645,"href":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2072\/revisions\/2645"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/geospatial-analytics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2072"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}