Conclusion
GIS is dead: long live GIS!
Someone in another context was suggesting that possibly GIS will have
really “arrived” when it is so common place that we don’t need to call
it GIS any more; in other words when it is taken for granted that we
are using GIS where such techniques are called for. We have still a fair
way to go, but already some of the larger general-purpose software vendors are now producing off-the-shelf products that to all mtents and
purposes are GIS, even though the end user may not recognize the fact.
This move towards embedded, ubiquitous GIS - such as are represented by
in-car navigation systems - carries several important but, as yet, largely
uncharted implications (and possible opportunities) for the coastal GIS
community, and would merit careful monitoring and periodic analysis.
And finally...
As a closing observation, it may be notecl that people tend to see “GIS”
as Geographic Information Systems, with the emphasis on GIS as a tool.
This is an issue frequently raisecl by a growing number of authors. For
many, this “utilitarian” defmition of GIS is restrictive and excessively
narrow in focus. Instead, it is suggested that we should be decoding the
acronym “GIS” as referring to Geographic Information Science, of which
the process of automating the hanclling of geographic information is
part, but only part, of the equation. This alternative definition surely
receives much support when we consider the contents of many of the
papers presented at this (CoastGIS meeting, which show clearly the use
of GIS not only as a tool but - as previously alluded to - as a distinct
element in any scientific methodology. On this score, we should particularly commend rhose presenters who have included flow diagrams
and “organigrammes” of their thinking in their papers. By capturing
and presenting the thought processes and logical steps they have gone
through, they underline that they are using GIS as a way of conducting
science, for mining data for information, asking questions, and getting
answers.
Cindy Fowler
Working in the coastal zone, we really have some unique problems
that our lancl-based colleagues do nor have. This land-water interface
really complicates our lives. We have multiple agencies coming together,
we have the history, the evolution of the mapping in the water with
the mapping on the lancl. Trying to make those two come together in
rhe coastal zone is very complex. There are three topics that should be
addressed here, namely research and technology, legal implications
and, lastly, lever aging information from the navigation community.
This last is important, because they also have some similar databases
that we need to work on.
311
GIS is dead: long live GIS!
Someone in another context was suggesting that possibly GIS will have
really “arrived” when it is so common place that we don’t need to call
it GIS any more; in other words when it is taken for granted that we
are using GIS where such techniques are called for. We have still a fair
way to go, but already some of the larger general-purpose software vendors are now producing off-the-shelf products that to all mtents and
purposes are GIS, even though the end user may not recognize the fact.
This move towards embedded, ubiquitous GIS - such as are represented by
in-car navigation systems - carries several important but, as yet, largely
uncharted implications (and possible opportunities) for the coastal GIS
community, and would merit careful monitoring and periodic analysis.
And finally...
As a closing observation, it may be notecl that people tend to see “GIS”
as Geographic Information Systems, with the emphasis on GIS as a tool.
This is an issue frequently raisecl by a growing number of authors. For
many, this “utilitarian” defmition of GIS is restrictive and excessively
narrow in focus. Instead, it is suggested that we should be decoding the
acronym “GIS” as referring to Geographic Information Science, of which
the process of automating the hanclling of geographic information is
part, but only part, of the equation. This alternative definition surely
receives much support when we consider the contents of many of the
papers presented at this (CoastGIS meeting, which show clearly the use
of GIS not only as a tool but - as previously alluded to - as a distinct
element in any scientific methodology. On this score, we should particularly commend rhose presenters who have included flow diagrams
and “organigrammes” of their thinking in their papers. By capturing
and presenting the thought processes and logical steps they have gone
through, they underline that they are using GIS as a way of conducting
science, for mining data for information, asking questions, and getting
answers.
Cindy Fowler
Working in the coastal zone, we really have some unique problems
that our lancl-based colleagues do nor have. This land-water interface
really complicates our lives. We have multiple agencies coming together,
we have the history, the evolution of the mapping in the water with
the mapping on the lancl. Trying to make those two come together in
rhe coastal zone is very complex. There are three topics that should be
addressed here, namely research and technology, legal implications
and, lastly, lever aging information from the navigation community.
This last is important, because they also have some similar databases
that we need to work on.
311