ISPRS, Vol.34, Part 2W2, "Dynamic and Multi-Dimensional GIS", Bangkok, May 23-25, 2001
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THE TRENDS IN GIS/LIS AND SOFTWARE
DEVELOPMENT
With the development of information technology and
GIS/LIS, we have more powerful tools and good solutions for
the establishment of the LMIS. The trends of GIS/LIS and
software development can be summarized as following.
• The GIS based on the spatial DBMS make it
possible that spatial data and attribute data can be
combined seamlessly. And all the spatial data,
attribute data and raster images can be stored in
only one central database without map files, that
make database maintenance easy, safe and
simple. These types of DBMSs include Oracle 8i,
Informix and many others.
• Component GIS totally changes the
implementation methodologies of geographic
information systems. Users can purchase the GIS
components but whole GIS platform from different
venders of GIS to implement their own systems. It
makes the systems much more powerful and
flexible. And if users want to update their systems
they only need to replace some of the GIS
companies and privates could be registered to
operate the databases. And the spatial and
attribute data can be issued on the
Internet/Intranet as well.
Open GIS make it possible that multi-resources of
data can be integrated into one system. The spatial
data, image data and attribute data can be stored
in the same DBMS that supports different GIS
platforms. So different GIS software could share
data/information from the same database.
Most of the implementation of a system is related
to DBMS, but not considering the GIS platforms.
So the cost of software development can be
decreased, and maintenance of the system
becomes easer.
The technologies of Web GIS are more and more
reliable and stable. Many software packages of
Web GIS can be used such as Geomedia Web
Map from Integraph, MapXtreme from Maplnfo,
Internet Map Server from ESRI, Map Guide from
Autodesk, and so on.
the governments
Figure 2: The LMIS at County level