Sept 9 Lecture: Course Introduction

SEPT 9 LECTURE

ENVS 4522

Lecture Outline

Topic 1: The Pre-Amble Introductions Course Instructor Course Outline

Assignments and readings Final Project

Exercise: Affinity Model You get to be creative and do something fun

Topic 2: History of GIS Open and Closed GIS Web GIS Accessibility of GIS Discussion

Course Instructor

Michael Maclennan MES Graduate 5 Years working in GIS 2 Years working in Information

Architecture

Course Outline First section will focus on

● History of PPGIS, ● Role of PPGIS in Environmental

management/monitoring and planning● Social Systems a new paradigm for PPGIS

Assignment #1 Mid Term

Second section will look at ● The tools and technology of the Geospatial web● Design of Geospatial systems for the web● GIS Standards

Assignment #2 Final Project

Where stuff lives

http://asyik.org

Course outline Presentations Assignments Etc.

Exercise: Affinity Model

Fun with an Affinity Model

What is it? It’s a process of seeking clarity about

complex ideas or problems.

What will we explore

What are the elements that make something a GIS?

What makes a project or initiative participatory?

Affinity Model Plan

Step 1 - Generate ideas Step 2 - Display ideasBreak 10 minutes Step 3 - Sort ideas into groups & Create

grouping titles Step 4 - Draw finished diagram

Creating Grouping Titles

An idea that captures the essential link among the ideas contained in a group of cards. Phrase or sentence Clear meaning

Topic 2

History of GIS Open and Closed GIS History of Web GIS Accessibility of GIS Examples Discussion

What is GIS?

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are computerized systems for the storage, retrieval, manipulation, analysis, and display of geographically referenced data.

History of GIS

Mainframe GIS

Task specific Tools

Desktop GIS

More Generalized tools used for a variety of tasks

Distributed GIS

Time

Acc

essi

bili

ty

1962CGIS

19901980 2000 Present

Closed

Open

Accessibility

Accessibility is a complex issues in GIS that has many facets

Data Software Knowledge Usability

Accessibility

• Over time GIS has become more accessible for several reasons:

• Faster and more affordable computers

• Data sharing and Data standardization

• Open Source Movement• Access to the code meaning more customizability

Accessibility Desktop GIS

Accessibility Web GIS

Web GIS itself has evolved in a similar fashion

Starting first with expensive highly complex proprietary software

Moving to ‘Out of the box’ applications

To free Open source applications that are highly customizable

Time

1993 Present

XEROX PARC The National Atlasof Canada

MapQuest

1994 1996

Map Server

1997 2000

ArcIMS 3.0

Google Earth

Nasa World Wind

Google Maps

Yahoo! Maps

MicrosoftLive!

Accessibility Web GIS

Types of Web Maps

Static web maps Static web maps are view only with no

animation or interactivity. Dynamically created web maps

These maps are created on demand each time the user reloads the web pages, often from dynamic data sources, such as databases.

Distributed web maps Maps are created from distributed data sources.

The interface of the web mapping system provides a method to access maps on other servers.

Types of Web Maps

Realtime web maps Realtime maps show the situation of a phenomena as it is

occurring. Personalized web maps

Personalized web maps allow the map user to apply his own data filtering, selective content and the application of personal styling and map symbolization.

Open, reusable web maps Web maps in this category are usually more complex

web mapping systems that offer APIs for reuse in other people's web pages and products. An example for such a system with an API for reuse is Google Maps.

Collaborative web maps These maps allow simultaneous editing of spatial data

across the web.

Types of Web Maps

Summary

GIS has evolved from task specific tools to more generalized applications

It has also become more accessible to more people because it has become more: Affordable Easier to use and accessible

Web GIS has evolved and diversified in a similar fashion closed GIS.