This chapter will review the evolution of GIS technology from centralized GISystems to Distributed GIServices. It will emphasize the difference between traditional GISystems and distributed GIServices. It will address the roles of the Internet and the Web in disseminating and sharing geographic information and the uniqueness of geographic information. It will define the concept of Internet GIS and discuss different terminology that is currently in use, such as Internet GIS, Web GIS, GIS Online and Distributed Geographic Information (DGI). Specific examples will be given to illustrate the functions of Internet GIS and the uniqueness of on-line geographic information.

Back to Top

Chapter 1 Introduction to Distributed Internet GIS

Back to Top

• FGDC (http://www.fgdc.gov): FGDC (Federal Geographic Data Committee) coordinates the development of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). The NSDI encompasses policies, standards, and procedures for organizations to cooperatively produce and share geographic data. This website includes the research status and technical documents on metadata, clearing house, standards and framework.
  
  
  
• Alexandria Digital Library (http://www.alexandria.ucsb.edu): Alexandria Digital Libary (ADL) is one of the centerpiece of the Alexandria project Alexandria Project. It is distributed in an sense that the library's components may be spread across the Internet, as well as coexisting on a single desktop. It is also geogrpahically-referenced which means that all the objects in the library will be associated with one or more regions on the surface of the Earth. Another centerpiece is an online information system inspired by the Map and Imagery Laboratory(MIL) in the Davidson Library at UCSB. ADL currently provides access over the World Wide Web to a subset of the MIL's holdings, as well as other geographic datasets. This websites provides detailed information concerning the project and capabilities for online map search.
  
  
  
• The history of the Internet (http://www.cybergeography.org/atlas/historical.html): How is Internet developed into current shape which tremendously changes our ways of thinking, acting and living? This website provides a vivid introduction tracing the pioneer development through a range of the historical maps representing different phases of Internet development, such as ARPANET, the Internet, Usenet and other computer networks.
  
  
  
• The Internet GIS Course (http://map.sdsu.edu/geo596): This is the first Internet GIS course in SDSU. It introduces current development of Internet mapping and advanced cartographic skills for Web-based maps. By using web-authoring tools (FrontPage 2000 or XP) and Internet Map servers (ESRI ArcIMS, SmallWorld Internet Application Server, and INTERGRAPH’s GeoMedia WebMap Server), learn how to design and set up an Internet Map Server and to publish their web maps on the server. The website provides lecture notes and lab exercises for the user to catch up the main ideas and get some hands on experiences on Internet mapping. Questions and comments can submitted through the online forum.
  
  
  
• The Early History of Data Network (http://www.it.kth.se/docs/early_net/): This is the online version of the book written by Gerard J.Holzmann, Björn Pehrson. It is hard to imagine what daily life must have been like two centuries ago, without radios, movies, telephones, or electricity. When optical telegraphs were superseded by electrical telegraphs, much of their history was forgotten. Within the book, the authors looked back and recorded the fascinating story of how optical telegraphs been discovered and used, then providing insights on the meaning the data and the formation of data network.
  
  
  
• Seattle Sidewalk (http//traficview.seattle.sidewalk1.com/)