Comments on: Goodbye National Mapping, G’day Google! http://geospatial.nomad-labs.com/2008/06/25/goodbye-national-mapping-gday-google/ geospatial team at nomad labs Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:33:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Shoaib Burq http://geospatial.nomad-labs.com/2008/06/25/goodbye-national-mapping-gday-google/#comment-3794 Shoaib Burq Sun, 21 Sep 2008 12:26:11 +0000 http://geospatial.nomad-labs.com/?p=139#comment-3794 Jude, my answer would be yes, however it really depends on what you want to do and by when. If you look at the evolution of Web based mapping applications over the last 5 years they have been adopting functionality of conventional GIS. But compared to a GIS product like ArcGIS, web mapping still has a long way to go before it can replace a desktop GIS. So if you wanted to replace say ArcGIS with a web-based application then the amount of work required to replicate the functionality of a GIS package is so much that you are better off starting from scratch and building a system with GIS in mind. However if your definition of GIS is simply combining data layers, querying data, basic geoprocessing and spatial queries (e.g. buffering, spatial predicates like overlap, interesect, etc) then I would say Google Maps can easily be adapted for that. Having said that ESRI are looking to make their products more web friendly with the arrival of ArcGIS Server, etc. Jude, my answer would be yes, however it really depends on what you want to do and by when.

If you look at the evolution of Web based mapping applications over the last 5 years they have been adopting functionality of conventional GIS. But compared to a GIS product like ArcGIS, web mapping still has a long way to go before it can replace a desktop GIS.

So if you wanted to replace say ArcGIS with a web-based application then the amount of work required to replicate the functionality of a GIS package is so much that you are better off starting from scratch and building a system with GIS in mind.

However if your definition of GIS is simply combining data layers, querying data, basic geoprocessing and spatial queries (e.g. buffering, spatial predicates like overlap, interesect, etc) then I would say Google Maps can easily be adapted for that.

Having said that ESRI are looking to make their products more web friendly with the arrival of ArcGIS Server, etc.

]]> By: Jude Mwenda http://geospatial.nomad-labs.com/2008/06/25/goodbye-national-mapping-gday-google/#comment-3793 Jude Mwenda Fri, 19 Sep 2008 09:32:06 +0000 http://geospatial.nomad-labs.com/?p=139#comment-3793 I would just like to ask a general question. Wheather it is possible to have a geographic information system that is web based but based on google maps platform. I am a newbie in GIS I would just like to ask a general question. Wheather it is possible to have a geographic information system that is web based but based on google maps platform. I am a newbie in GIS

]]> By: Shoaib http://geospatial.nomad-labs.com/2008/06/25/goodbye-national-mapping-gday-google/#comment-3771 Shoaib Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:44:29 +0000 http://geospatial.nomad-labs.com/?p=139#comment-3771 Thanks Mikel yea I hope so too. I wonder how governments in these countries feel about the whole thing Thanks Mikel yea I hope so too. I wonder how governments in these countries feel about the whole thing

]]> By: Mikel Maronoo http://geospatial.nomad-labs.com/2008/06/25/goodbye-national-mapping-gday-google/#comment-3770 Mikel Maronoo Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:36:40 +0000 http://geospatial.nomad-labs.com/?p=139#comment-3770 Good analysis of usability Shoaib. Yes, OSM can learn from MapMaker .. Google has certainly learned from OSM, and hopefully will continue their study with regards to openness. Good analysis of usability Shoaib. Yes, OSM can learn from MapMaker .. Google has certainly learned from OSM, and hopefully will continue their study with regards to openness.

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