4. HARDWARE - SOFTWARE 
Experience in many parts of the world indicate that information systems 
using dedicated hardware and software are expensive, difficult to operate 
and become obsolete in the early stages of operation. 
It is therefore advisable to conceive SICA in the framework of a computer 
system for which the software will be adapted or designed in accordance 
with the specifications listed in Section 3. The various components of 
the software could be obtained from various sources taking into account 
their economic efficiency, compatibility with other computers, operational 
ease reliability, performance, maintenance cost and ease of programming. 
This will permit replacement of some components as they become obsolete, 
and keep the system abreast with the rapid technological advances without 
large budgetory outlays. 
SICA has as its computational core five networked micro-computer based 
workstations of which one is able to work as a stand alone image analysis 
system. Two constitute together a complete system of map production 
digitalization and map revision. A fourth system is used for spatial 
analysis interfacing of mapmodels with meteorological and hydrological 
models for the purpose of production of meteorological and hydrological 
maps and time series. A fifth micro-computer is used as a network server 
and is connected to printers and plotters for the production of hard copy 
outputs. 
The software of the mapping work stations consists of the Microstation 
software from Bentley system. 
The software of the spatial analysis workstation consists of two software 
packages: SPANS and GHEIS. 
The SPANS system was produced by TYDAC and is used for overlaying of 
various thematic maps, for régionalisation according to various criteria 
compatible with the data included in the maps. 
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