5.2 Externalliaison organizations to ISO/TC211
207
5.2.2 Open GIS Consortium (OGC)
5.2.2.1 Background
The Open GIS Consortium (OGe) is eurrently the world's leading industrial eonsortium for the implementation of geographie information systems. Mapping of geographie information aeross the Internet is by far the most important topie of today. In
order to enable the eontributing systems to eommunieate smoothly and exchange
their information, the OGC is working on a suite of industrial standards. Their spirit
and their development proeess is different from the ISO approach in that the OGC
primarily develops Implementation Speeifieations whereas the ISO standardises the
Abstract Speeifieations on the top level.
Founded in 1994, the OGC evolved from the GRASS user groups. GRASS (Geographie Resourees Analysis Support System) is the geographie information system
that was developed and maintained by the U.S. military until they deeided to switeh
to eommereial produets of ESRI.
Today, the OGC has weil over 200 members representing the eomplete speetrum
of players on the GIS market plaee. Their background ranges from system manufaeturers aeross produetion eompanies and government ageneies to universities and research laboratories. The membership type is split into four main eategories: Strategie, Prineipal, Teehnieal, and Assoeiate. The annual fee is different for eaeh
eategory: Strategie Members $250,000 US, Prineipal Members $50,000 US, Teehnieal Members $10,000 US, and Assoeiate Members $4,000 US, or $300 US in the
ease of universities. In praetiee, the annual fee of Strategie Members is negotiable;
beeause the fee is often paid by installing a work position on the staff level and/or by
sponsoring larger implementation projeets.
The following table lists the eight Strategie Members. Their eontribution covers
more then 50% ofthe annual budget ofthe OGC.
Table 5.1. List ofStrategie Members ofthe Open GIS Consortium
Company
BAE Systems
General Dynamies
Intergraph
Loekheed Martin
Northrop Grumman
FGDC
NASA
NIMA
Field of Aetivity
Information and Eleetronic Warfare Systems
U.S.
Mission-eritieal information systems, aviation, shipbuilding V.S.
Mapping and Geospatial Solutions
V.S.
Spaee systems
U.S.
Eleetronies, IT, mission systems, ships, spaee systems
V.S.
Federal Geographie Data Committee
V.S.
National Aeronauties and Spaee Administration
V.S.
National Imagery and Mapping Division
V.S.
Though the Strategie Members essentially pay the bill, a great number of the other
members frequently eontribute innovative teehnologies.
The OGC has established a formal framework for their development of the standards that eonsists of a hierarehy of eommittees, a defined voting proeedure and a
207
5.2.2 Open GIS Consortium (OGC)
5.2.2.1 Background
The Open GIS Consortium (OGe) is eurrently the world's leading industrial eonsortium for the implementation of geographie information systems. Mapping of geographie information aeross the Internet is by far the most important topie of today. In
order to enable the eontributing systems to eommunieate smoothly and exchange
their information, the OGC is working on a suite of industrial standards. Their spirit
and their development proeess is different from the ISO approach in that the OGC
primarily develops Implementation Speeifieations whereas the ISO standardises the
Abstract Speeifieations on the top level.
Founded in 1994, the OGC evolved from the GRASS user groups. GRASS (Geographie Resourees Analysis Support System) is the geographie information system
that was developed and maintained by the U.S. military until they deeided to switeh
to eommereial produets of ESRI.
Today, the OGC has weil over 200 members representing the eomplete speetrum
of players on the GIS market plaee. Their background ranges from system manufaeturers aeross produetion eompanies and government ageneies to universities and research laboratories. The membership type is split into four main eategories: Strategie, Prineipal, Teehnieal, and Assoeiate. The annual fee is different for eaeh
eategory: Strategie Members $250,000 US, Prineipal Members $50,000 US, Teehnieal Members $10,000 US, and Assoeiate Members $4,000 US, or $300 US in the
ease of universities. In praetiee, the annual fee of Strategie Members is negotiable;
beeause the fee is often paid by installing a work position on the staff level and/or by
sponsoring larger implementation projeets.
The following table lists the eight Strategie Members. Their eontribution covers
more then 50% ofthe annual budget ofthe OGC.
Table 5.1. List ofStrategie Members ofthe Open GIS Consortium
Company
BAE Systems
General Dynamies
Intergraph
Loekheed Martin
Northrop Grumman
FGDC
NASA
NIMA
Field of Aetivity
Information and Eleetronic Warfare Systems
U.S.
Mission-eritieal information systems, aviation, shipbuilding V.S.
Mapping and Geospatial Solutions
V.S.
Spaee systems
U.S.
Eleetronies, IT, mission systems, ships, spaee systems
V.S.
Federal Geographie Data Committee
V.S.
National Aeronauties and Spaee Administration
V.S.
National Imagery and Mapping Division
V.S.
Though the Strategie Members essentially pay the bill, a great number of the other
members frequently eontribute innovative teehnologies.
The OGC has established a formal framework for their development of the standards that eonsists of a hierarehy of eommittees, a defined voting proeedure and a