This book defines Internet GIS (Internet Geographic Information Systems) as network-based geographic information, spatial analytical tools, and GIS Web services.
In other words, Internet GIS also known as Distributed Geographic Information Services for the Internet and Wireless Networks.
Function of Internet GIS
The main function of Internet GIS is to provide a certain service to consumers, such as travel information services, land use information services, and environmental information services.
Internet GIS addresses a suite of emerging new technologies aimed at making GIS more mobile, powerful, and flexible, as well as better able to share and communicate geographic information.
Scope of Internet GIS
Internet GIS, which focuses on the Internet technology and utilizes a distributed architecture framework, symbolizes and invisible revolution of GIS from closed, centralized GIS to open, distributed GIService.
It not only signifies the advancement of technologies but also implies a paradigm shift, from collecting data and finishing a GIS project on a desktop to considering universal accessibility to remotely distributed data and analysis functions.
Simple Example of Using Internet GIS
: Finding a hotel close to a particular national park
A. Traditional GIS Environment
- One needs to find data for the national park system, road networks, and separate data for hotel locations;
- One also needs to purchase a complete GIS software program that is capable of conducting a network analysis with the shortest path-finding function, even though the user only needs to conduct this particular analysis and nothing else.
- Furthermore, the next time the user wants to plan other trips, the old data may not be valid as road network and hotel information may have already changed. He or she has to has to obtain the data again.
B. Internet GIS Environment
- The user needs only to search for Web sites that provide this kind of services.
- He or she would care less about where the data are and what other functions the software program provides as long as the Web site does the service, including the data and analysis tools.
- He or she pays for the services at the time the services are used.
- Since the Internet services link the data with the data sources, the data are always up to date.
- Internet GIS would allow users to be more productive in applying Internet GIS technologies in actual applications rather than spending valuable time in operating the software and collecting data.
More information about Internet GIS could be found here
–> Internet GIS Book