Bryan’s Blog

Google Maps + Files Anywhere = Project Collaboration Bliss

Here’s a sneak preview of an article I recently wrote for the New York State Geographic Information Systems Technology (GIST) Newsletter: Albany Pool CSO Newsletter Article (pdf)

The article describes the implementation of a powerful mashup application, which combines both geographic and non-geographic data in a single, user-friendly mapping environment. They key to this application was tapping into an online file sharing service as a backend to a Google Maps frontend. Users can navigate around a familiar map interface and access photos, drawings, and spreadhseets via hyperlinked directories. Directory “shares” and virtual “dropboxes” allow users to easily upload and download files, which are connected to mapped locations.

Have a read through the article or check out the site directly via the following link: http://www.cloughharbour.com/maps/css/

Keep an eye out for the newsletter posting at the GIST website here: http://www.nysgis.state.ny.us/outreach/gist/index.cfm

GPS at Risk?

You might not want to throw out all of those old thruway maps cluttering your glove box just yet. As reported by GPS World, a recently released Government Accountability Office report hints that it may already be too late for the Air Force to deploy the new satellites needed to maintain current GPS service without interruption.

Check out the GPS World article here or, if you’re feeling ambitious, you can read the full GAO article here.

Now go fold those maps properly!

Clinton County Public Mapping Site Goes Live!

The Neocartographers are excited to announce the launch of the new Clinton County Public Mapping Site! This is the first Open GeoHost web application to be launched and tested. This site will give residents tremendous access to GIS data and services which were previously unavailable due to the lack of a decent distribution platform. This looks like a positive sign of things to come for Open GeoHost!

Open GeoHost

We Neocartographer’s have recently been playing around with the idea of establishing a GeoServer hosting service. The idea is to help all of those small agencies and nonprofits unleash their spatial data and facilitate affordable geo-collaboration through utilizing open source technologies and open data formats. We’re currently testing the waters, asking for community feedback and putting together a formal website. There’s plenty more to come on this front so stay tuned or drop me an email if you’re interested.

Intro to Open Source GIS

Despite a few irritating technical difficulties (no internet access), the first Intro to Open Source GIS course at Adirondack Community College was a success! We had a small but diverse and dedicated class and it was good fun.

We reviewed basic geography, discussed open source architecture and had some hands-on training with gvSIG and TimeMap Java.

Things I learned: (1) 3 hour weekday evening sessions are far too lengthy, (2) Keep plenty of screenshots on hand for when the internet is down, (3) GIS students can come from a diverse background (USGS Cartographers as well as Massage Therapists).

We are contemplating a Fall ‘09 course if my schedule is open and there is enough interest in the community. Perhaps we will demo GeoServer and OpenLayers this go round??