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1120 — 
We can summarize the present state of scientific communication in survey- 
ing and mapping as follows: 
+ We suffer from a snowball increase of the quantity of published literature 
according to an exponential law. It is doubled every 10 - 15 years. However, 
the willingness of people to read decreases in our era (television may have 
changed people from letter-minded to picture-minded). 
* Some professionals ceased to read even more important periodicals, for they 
are too numerous. Instead, they use the time thus saved to prepare new papers 
which, in turn, will not be read neither. But what is the use of publishing 
if it is not read! 
* Very much simplified one can say that the postmaster delivers every da 
new periodical to us, yet unfortunately he does not supply the time required 
to read these journals. 
* In contrast, former developing countries do often not dispose on a periodical 
of their own. This may be one out of several reasons for again widening the 
technological gap between former developing nations and industrialized 
countries. 
* Whereas the number of periodicals is ever growing, the attitude of individuals 
to pay for journals decreases. They rely on libraries. However, libraries suffer 
from limited budgets, at least in my country. Publishers envisage that new 
periodicals, though valuable they may be, cannot be sold anymore. I do not dare 
to predict whether this realistic fact signalizes an end of the exponential 
law, or whether it marks just a strong oscillation. 
* 2,300 years ago the great Greek philosopher PLATON said that the gods could 
favour mankind by presenting one single ànd commonly used language to them. 
Unfortunately, the gods did not succeed, and different languages continue to 
be a barrier even for scientific communication. At international Congresses 
of FIG 63 percent of all papers and contributions are presented in English, 
28 percent in German, and 9 percent in French (MATTHIAS 1980). Whereas com- 
munication at these congresses is facilitated by costly simultaneous trans- 
lations, the situation is much worse regarding periodicals. 
* High industrialized countries are at the turnover from the industrialized into 
the era of information (REESE 1979). 
* No adequate literature retrieval system is available in our field. 
* Increasingly, previous publications are often not referenced and considered 
when preparing a new paper. This is a waste of efforts and may be a reason 
for reinventions. 
+ A relatively small number of professionals is working with the fields of IAG, 
ICA, ISPRS and FIG. Hence, national research capacity is rather limited. Yet 
technologies, working procedures and problems are common to most countries. 
If we agree that huge tasks are ahead of us, the international scientific com- 
munication is a vital requirement for the benefit of our profession. 
Hothmer 6