Scribd
Upload
5 views2 pages

Software in GIS

The document discusses the accessibility of GIS analytical capabilities for nontechnical users through a simple User Interface, emphasizing the importance of well-designed operational plans for successful GIS implementation. It outlines various GIS software options, including proprietary and open-source solutions, and their functionalities. Additionally, it describes the types of data used in GIS, distinguishing between spatial and non-spatial data.

Uploaded by

s.sharmistha27
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
5 views2 pages

Software in GIS

The document discusses the accessibility of GIS analytical capabilities for nontechnical users through a simple User Interface, emphasizing the importance of well-designed operational plans for successful GIS implementation. It outlines various GIS software options, including proprietary and open-source solutions, and their functionalities. Additionally, it describes the types of data used in GIS, distinguishing between spatial and non-spatial data.

Uploaded by

s.sharmistha27
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

allows the nontechnical users to have easy access to GIS analytical capabilities without

needing to know detailed software commands. A simple User Interface (UI) can consist
of menus and pull-down graphic windows so that the user can perform required
analysis with a few key presses without needing to learn specific commands in detail.

Methods
A successful GIS operates according to a well-designed plan and business rules,
which are the models and operating practices unique to each organization.

GIS SOFTWARE
Geographic information can be accessed, transferred, transformed, overlaid,
processed and displayed using numerous software applications. Within industry
commercial offerings from companies such as ESRI and Mapinfo dominate, offering an
entire suite of tools. Government and military departments often use custom software,
open source products, such as Gram++, GRASS, or more specialized products that meet
a well-defined need. Free tools exist to view GIS datasets and public access to
geographic information is dominated by online resources such as Google Earth and
interactive web mapping.
Originally up to the late 1990s, when GIS data was mostly based on large
computers and used to maintain internal records, software was a stand-alone product.
However with increased access to the Internet and networks and demand for
distributed geographic data grew, GIS software gradually changed its entire outlook to
the delivery of data over a network. GIS software is now usually marketed as
combination of various interoperable applications and APIs.

GIS Software Examples


File software for a geographical information system may be split into five functional
groups. (a) Data input and verification (b) Data storage and database management (c)
Data output and presentation (d) Data transformation (e) Interaction with the user. (f)
Environmental Systems Research Institute ( ESRI ): ArcInfo, ArcView. (g) Autodesk:
AutoCAD Map (h) Clark Labs: IDRISI (i) International Institute for Aerospace Survey
and Earth Sciences: ILWIS (j) Mapinfo Corporation: Mapinfo. (k) Bentley Systems:
Microstation. (l) PCI Geomatics: PAMAP (m)TYDAC Inc. : SPANS (n) Arc View Spatial
Analyst (o) Arc View Network Analyst (p) Arc View 3D Analyst (q) GRASS from US
Army Corps of Engineers (r) GRAMM++ for CSRE, IIT, Mumbai (s) Atlas GIS (t) CARIS
(u) SYCAD.

OPEN-SOURCE SOFTWARE VS. PROPRIETARY SOFTWARE IN GIS


Open Source Software Proprietary Software
It refers to the software that is developed It refers to the software that is solely
and tested through open collaboration owned by the individual or the
organization that developed it.
Anyone with the academic knowledge can Only the owner or publisher who holds
access, inspect ,modify and redistribute the legal property rights of the source code
the source code . can access it
19
The project is managed by an open source The project is managed by a closed group
community of developer and of individual or team that developed it.
programmers.
They are not aimed at unskilled users They are focused on a limited market of
outside of the programming community. both skilled and unskilled end users.
It provides better flexibility which means There is a very limited scope of innovation
more freedom which encourages with the restrictions and all.
innovation.
It is free of cost It is expensive
Free Open Source Software (FOSS) is one Environmental Research System
of the open source organization Innovation is one of the commercial
organization
More exploration and improvisation can Fewer exploration and improvisation can
be done be done
Example : OpenGeo, Quantum GIS Examples: ArcGIS, ArcView
QGIS: ArcGIS:
1. Quite less documentation for users 1. Elaborated documentation for users
2. Supports different Operating 2. Only supports Windows
System 3. Load time speed is slower
3. Load time speed is faster 4. Includes more additional addins
4. Includes more additional plugins 5. More mapping functionality
5. Less mapping functionality

DATA TYPES

SPATIAL DATA
Spatial data (mapable data) of geo-referenced data is commonly characterized by
the presence of two fundamental components. (i) The physical dimension or class i.e.,
the phenomena being reported. For example : Height of the forest canopy, demographic
class, rock type, regetation type details of a city etc. (ii) The spatial location of the
phgenomena For example : Specified with reference to common coordinate system
(latitude and longitude etc).

NON SPATIAL / ATTRIBUTE / A SPATIAL OR TABULAR DATA


There are usually data tables that contain information about the
spatialcomponents of the GIS theme. These can be numeric and/or character data such
as timber type, timber volume, road size, well depth etc. The attributes are related back
to the spatial features by use of unique identifiers that are stored both with the attribute
tables and the features in each spatial data layer. Attributes can be either qualitative
(low, medium, high income) or quantitative (actual measurements). The database
allows us to manipulate information in many ways : from simple listing of attributes,
sorting features by some attributes, grouping by attributes, or selecting and singling out
groups by attributes.

20

You might also like