Lecture 26 - Technological Change and GIS

Lecture 28 - Technological change and GIS

Learning Objectives

28.1What 3 software technologies are at the core of GIS? Why these three?

28.2What are some common ways to package software into products?

28.3What dimensions can we use to characterize the future of GIS?

28.1 What 3 software technologies are at the core of GIS? Why these three?

GIS integrates software technologies:

1) database management, 2) computer graphics visualization , 3) spatial analysis

What are three modules in ArcInfo?

Steps forward in each technology separately, and in combination. Information integration analysis and synoptic visual display are the principal enabling ideas. How did we get here?

Brief history of technology change in GIS

Circa 1953 – A computer is connected to a typewriter for making maps

Office of Naval Research (ONR – funded Tobler)

Circa 1960 – Map layer separations clearly described (Sherman and Tobler)

Circa 1965 – first reference to “GIS” (ONR Report – Marble and Tomlinson)

Circa 1968 – Canadian Geographic Information System – forestry apps (Tomlinson)

Circa 1969 – Design with Nature – McHarg describes map overlay problem

Circa 1975 - Analytic Cartography – spatial analysis and computer geovisualization

Circa 1980 - adding DBMS to analytic cartography to get full GIS

Circa 1983 – 1st release of Esri’s ArcInfo GIS

Circa 1989 – PC ArcInfo is released (but other small systems available)

Circa 1992 – Esri ArcView 1.0 released for PC platforms (reaches 3.0 1997, 3.3 2001)

Circa 1995 – Vector and Raster integrated in systems

Circa 1998 – Mobile/Field Mapping takes off with GPS support

Circa 2000 – Esri introduces ArcInfo 8.0 (Object-oriented GIS.

Idea has been around for a while, and 1st release was problematic.)

Circa 2005 – ArcInfo 9.0 platform for production use; ArcGIS Server introduced

Circa 2010 – ArcInfo 10.0 w/ Space-Time Visualization; Enterprise GIS

28.2 What are some common ways to package software into products?

- Proprietary full function systems versus specialized versus toolkit systems

For example: ESRIArcInfo vs.CaliperTransCAD vs. Blue MarbleDevTools

Proprietary Systemsas above versus OpenSource Systems, for example GRASS

Workstation/Desktop versus Server Products

ArcGIS DesktopProduct Sheet

ArcReader, ArcView, ArcEditor, ArcInfo, ArcExtensions

ArcGIS server products

Arc Internet Map Server (ArcIMS) – server for maps

ArcGIS Server – server for all GIS capabilities

ArcWeb Services – packaging of above using Open GIS standards

Software reviews often appear at GeoCommunity

28.3 What are some dimensions for characterizing the broad future of GIS?

“After almost 40 years, GIS has reached an interesting stage. There are an ever-increasing number of users who translate into larger revenues for software vendors. GIS software continues to blossom in terms of functionality and usability, and more geospatial data are available in the public domain with greater quality in vector and raster formats. But, as a decision-making tool, it remains the domain of a relatively small number of technically savvy users.”Robert van Wyngaarden and Nigel Waters, Unfinished Revolution: Gaining Perspective on the Future of GIS, Directions Magzine Issue Date:September - 2007,Posted On:10/1/2007

Thatnews feature provides insights and explanations into why the revolution has remained unfinished and how it can be moved toward completion, so that the following can be accomplished:

1. All professionals will use GIS to enhance productivity.

2. GIS will allow the public to support and enhance geographic awareness.

3. The public will think geographically and, hopefully, use GIS routinely in their daily activities.

4. GIS will be used to demonstrate the principles of geographic science and geographic information science within academia.”

The same and new players – who will be important and why?

Companies – software vendors (proprietary/open source), system integrators are continuing to expand. The GIS Marketas of 2006 according to Daratech was $3.3B in 2005

ESRI and Integraph are the two largest; together 50% of total share

However, 20 players with at least 1% market share

Top four GIS software companies by revenue: ESRI, Bentley, Intergraph, Autodesk

- Regional communities – partnerships to address complex problems are growing in sophistication, like the Puget Sound Partnership – Fall 2008 action agenda

- Geospatial has become recognized by many in the public as a contribution to understanding our world given the interest in geospatial technologies that foster geographic awareness; the general influence of global issues encourages “spatial thinking”. Geospatial thinking about macro-space is becoming more prevalent.

The same and new geospatial technologies?

- database management – ontology and semantics

- computer graphics geovisualization – high performance 3D plug-ins with the 4thD

- geospatial analysis – spatio-temporal dynamics (4D modeling)

- high performance (grid network for) supercomputing

- cloud computing

- decision analysis – decision science and operations research (years of development)

- data communications support – influence of Internet2

- geospatial sensors

- mobile displays

Lots of developments going on; and in the longer term….

on the research front….

NSF DataNet Resources – terabyte data libraries

NSF Grid Computing – much broader and now teraflop supercomputing

NSF Program for Cyberlearning - formal and information learning on the Internet

GIS applications required in what focus areas – the valued substantive areas of society?

Long-term interests:

-Forest

-Transportation

-Land Use

-Natural and Technological Hazards

-Water Resources

-Geodemographic

-Marine

-Etc. Etc. Etc.

Newer ones being developed:

-Public/Environmental Health

-Food Security

-Coastal

-Other

Combination of technology push (better solution) and market need (latent need)

All those dimensions and more come together to create the future of GIS for/in society

Check out some link resources about jobs and trends at professional GISresources