1. Geo Spatial Data Infrastructures with Open Source
Going Mainstream
Geo Spatial Data Infrastructures with Open Source
What to expect from this presentation
Mainstream IT components have reached a high level of perfection. They are used throughout the GIS context without us really noticing too much
Thorough and useful standardization enables us to use mainstream technology in the context of GIS
Spatial Data is turned loose. Currently a paradigm shift is on the way turning proprietary data free

2. WebGIS with Free Software Example
Software components:
Free Operating System
Free Web Server
Free Web Map Server (WMS)
Free Spatially Enabled Database
Free Web Scripting Language
Free Web Map Client Suite
Mapbender
Standardisation:
Open GIS Consortium
ISO Standardisation Organisation
This architecture can be seen at work:

3. Databases
Databases have developed enormously. They are used throughout all contexts and for all purposes
With the SQL standard a common language has grown which is used throughout IT business
It was only a question of time until databases would also start to understand geometry – now they do
More than that: databases learn to manage spatial geometry with spatial operators (GEOS)

4. Spatial Operations
What before was highly secret knowledge to some proprietary producer is slowly but distinctly becoming common knowledge
In this context Open Source has an even larger impact on traditional business models than just by not charging money for licenses
The possibility to access database operators directly with PHP opens the possibility to use them directly from the thin client front end
GIS desktop systems are starting to have a hard time proving that they are really needed

5. Operating Systems
It is very easy to install and maintain Operating Systems with very different specific features
Operating Systems even come with basic GIS software components, for example databases and web services
There are people organizing ports collections which make the installation of GIS software very easy
Some Operating Systems even directly come with GIS software installed or have explicitly been compiled with it (GISIX: GRASS on Knoppix)

6. Standardization
SQL is not discussed any more, it is being used by any software and all applications
SQL has been extended by spatial operations for Simple Features (PostgreSQL/PostGIS, Oracle/Spatial)
It will only take little time until every large database has to support Spatial Data, if it wants to serve the market
There is no difference between proprietary and Open Source Software when it comes to using standards

7. Who is THE GIS USER
The GIS user is and always will be the specialist working with strange software on strange data
The spatial data is growing to be of interest to a much larger community
Everybody living in the spatial data wants to have access to read and learn about it
Politics are starting to understand this need for spatial data in a common context

8. Political activities
Very interestingly political activities throughout the world point in the same direction
It has been recognized that spatial data does not stop at national borders
Processes on spatial data (pollution, traffic, energy) does not stop at borders either
Governments must provide their people with spatial data for little or no cost – else the people organize themselves – and they already do :-)

9. Thank You for your attention
For more information please contact:
Arnulf B. Christl
CCGIS Christl & Stamm GbR
Siemensstr. 8
53121 Bonn
Germany
Visit our web sites at:
Visit the Mapbender Project homepage at: