450
Chapter 15 What’s Next for Geospatial Technology?
what GIS is, or what a shapefile is, or how to georeference imagery, and may
be baffled as to how to properly use the data. However, when all of the data is
assembled into an online map, allowing a user to find the address of a house
for sale, access data about it, determine the land value of the property, and
see whether or not the house is on the floodplain, the online utility becomes
a lot more useful. In addition, other users may not have access to the specific
GIS program you’re running, so if all they need is a Web browser to interact
with your data, you’ve removed another obstacle in working with the geospatial data. You’ve already used some examples of these types of online GIS tools
back in the Hands-on Applications in Chapters 5 and 6.
There are many programs available for taking geospatial data and setting it
up online in an easy-to-use interactive format, or to simply create an interactive
map and incorporate it into a Website. An example of this is ArcGIS Server, Esri
software designed to facilitate the distribution of interactive maps and geospatial data across the Internet for viewing and analysis (see Figure 15.5 for an
example of an online mapping and analysis utility created using ArcGIS Server
for the city of Philadelphia). Setting up an interactive tool online for managing
and analyzing geospatial data is becoming increasingly common for a variety
of utilities. Check out Hands-on Application 15.7: ArcGIS Server Live User Sites
for a way to access and examine several examples of ArcGIS Server in action for
working with geospatial data online (rather than being required to have ArcGIS
running on your own computer).
Tools like these are part of a larger initiative that Esri refers to as “Mapping for Everyone,” which allows users to not just add to existing databases
or use special software to distribute geospatial data, but to create their own
maps with their own data (or data already processed for them) and publish
the maps on their own Website. Like the user-generated content of VGI, this
ArcGIS Server an Esri
utility for distribution
of geospatial data in
an interactive mapping
format on the Internet.
In the previous chapters, you’ve used a variety of
free software programs, like MultiSpec for examining satellite imagery, MapCruncher for georeferencing a scanned map, and Trimble Planning for looking
at GPS satellite conditions. However, there are a lot
of other free geospatial tools available out there
beyond just the software and programs used in this
book. An excellent resource for locating and downloading free geospatial software is the Free Geography Tools Website—open your Web browser and go
to http://freegeographytools.com. From the Topics list on the right-hand side, choose the type of
tool you’re interested in, whether it’s new additions
for Google Earth, DEM tools, or GPS utilities, and see
what kinds of other software programs are available
and how you can utilize them.
In addition, this book has made extensive use of
Google Earth and other virtual globe programs (like
NASA World Wind in Chapter 12 and ArcGIS Explorer
in Geospatial Lab Application 15.1). Virtual globes
are very powerful utilities for examining features
around the planet, and are also very cool and fun
to use. There are other virtual-globe-style programs
available—fire up a search engine and try to locate
some other examples of virtual globes or related
geospatial programs available online.
Hands-on Application 15.6
Some Other Available Geospatial Technology Programs and Tools Online
Chapter 15 What’s Next for Geospatial Technology?
what GIS is, or what a shapefile is, or how to georeference imagery, and may
be baffled as to how to properly use the data. However, when all of the data is
assembled into an online map, allowing a user to find the address of a house
for sale, access data about it, determine the land value of the property, and
see whether or not the house is on the floodplain, the online utility becomes
a lot more useful. In addition, other users may not have access to the specific
GIS program you’re running, so if all they need is a Web browser to interact
with your data, you’ve removed another obstacle in working with the geospatial data. You’ve already used some examples of these types of online GIS tools
back in the Hands-on Applications in Chapters 5 and 6.
There are many programs available for taking geospatial data and setting it
up online in an easy-to-use interactive format, or to simply create an interactive
map and incorporate it into a Website. An example of this is ArcGIS Server, Esri
software designed to facilitate the distribution of interactive maps and geospatial data across the Internet for viewing and analysis (see Figure 15.5 for an
example of an online mapping and analysis utility created using ArcGIS Server
for the city of Philadelphia). Setting up an interactive tool online for managing
and analyzing geospatial data is becoming increasingly common for a variety
of utilities. Check out Hands-on Application 15.7: ArcGIS Server Live User Sites
for a way to access and examine several examples of ArcGIS Server in action for
working with geospatial data online (rather than being required to have ArcGIS
running on your own computer).
Tools like these are part of a larger initiative that Esri refers to as “Mapping for Everyone,” which allows users to not just add to existing databases
or use special software to distribute geospatial data, but to create their own
maps with their own data (or data already processed for them) and publish
the maps on their own Website. Like the user-generated content of VGI, this
ArcGIS Server an Esri
utility for distribution
of geospatial data in
an interactive mapping
format on the Internet.
In the previous chapters, you’ve used a variety of
free software programs, like MultiSpec for examining satellite imagery, MapCruncher for georeferencing a scanned map, and Trimble Planning for looking
at GPS satellite conditions. However, there are a lot
of other free geospatial tools available out there
beyond just the software and programs used in this
book. An excellent resource for locating and downloading free geospatial software is the Free Geography Tools Website—open your Web browser and go
to http://freegeographytools.com. From the Topics list on the right-hand side, choose the type of
tool you’re interested in, whether it’s new additions
for Google Earth, DEM tools, or GPS utilities, and see
what kinds of other software programs are available
and how you can utilize them.
In addition, this book has made extensive use of
Google Earth and other virtual globe programs (like
NASA World Wind in Chapter 12 and ArcGIS Explorer
in Geospatial Lab Application 15.1). Virtual globes
are very powerful utilities for examining features
around the planet, and are also very cool and fun
to use. There are other virtual-globe-style programs
available—fire up a search engine and try to locate
some other examples of virtual globes or related
geospatial programs available online.
Hands-on Application 15.6
Some Other Available Geospatial Technology Programs and Tools Online