information available on hard copy maps to 
better communicate to the end-user. 
At the outset of video disk GIS, map 
information was proprietary. There were no 
useful tools for taking mapping data from 
multiple sources. The video disk allowed 
users to display a wider variety of information 
than was possible previously. 
Microcomputers store additional vector and 
raster data. They can integrate with other 
databases such as the Digital Chart of the 
World to calculate distances and elevation in 
a transparent fashion. 
  
Figure |: 
  
  
  
: ML 
MERTHER - CCE 2 
WITH RAE B 
ITO RECCE MSNS B 
SHEL | 
Video disk brings raster GIS to the personal computer. 
The most effective application of the video 
disk GIS is command and control. In military 
and emergency preparedness requirements, 
full map information is crucial as is the ability 
to overlay vector information. 
3. Raster and Vector 
The advantage of the video disk is the quick 
display of complex raster information. This 
provided an immediate solution to the 
expense of processing this kind of data. 
However, raster provides very little assistance 
to the analysis of spatial data. Multimedia has 
been a solution for the presentation of 
vector data, as well. Compact disk 
technology has inexpensively brought shore 
line and elevation vector information to GIS 
applications. This data can be easily and 
inexpensively disseminated to a wide audience 
392 
for both 
requirements. 
complex and entry-level 
4. Multimedia 
Multimedia applications range from a 
computer configured with a sound card to 
wide-area-networking video conferencing on 
demand. Multimedia applications process text, 
graphical, audio and video information 
together. The multiple source aspect tends to 
bring an immediate focus on hardware 
peripherals that have the ability to provide 
this data to the desktop with the appropriate 
performance and quality. In this aspect, the 
video disk met an immediate need to bring 
GIS data to the desktop computer. The 
software element of multimedia is that it is 
conceived to take advantage of multiple 
formats of data, 
There are some key market perceptions that 
currently restricts organization's zeal to 
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