Opened by Google map API

Google map and Yahoo map have released their own APIs, which can be used for free. It feels very good. You should think about some problems (note: microsoft's mappoint already has a paid web service, and the desktop version can also be embedded into the application.Program). Google map API is really simple. It only takes two hours to read the document carefully and you can develop it without having to know any professional map knowledge. The API is JavaScript, and someone may soon encapsulate it as a. Net class library or another class library.

The Application Based on Spatial data should be a vast world, but in fact, the difference between the market and application of spatial data and non-spatial data is not only in terms of quantity and quality, in addition, there are many technical differences. Most of the systems we see every day are based on non-spatial data (databases). Every day, countless people maintain, update, and create such systems. However, compared with spatial data (databases ), what else? But in fact, there is still a lot of space-based data in these systems, and the problem is the lack of low-level support.

For GIS, if it is to be applied in depth, two major support is required. The first is data, and the second is platform. The two are equally important and indispensable. Our GIS company is faced with expensive and incompatible data and complicated and difficult-to-use platforms (especially WebGIS, which may not be very complex, but relatively speaking ). Therefore, to build a GIS system, more than half of the investment is spent on data, and more than half of the energy is spent on coping with difficult system platforms. Therefore, it is often said that, the GIS project has invested a lot, but the effect is poor. Now, the data and platform, Google or Yahoo map APIs are provided to you for free. All you need is simple development and integration. Maybe the current function is still simple, and there are still many functions not needed, but at least it is a bright start. For a simple web page map that can be inserted at will, Google's API should make many GIS platform providers feel ashamed.

At this beginning, I think many problems that were hard to implement can be well solved. For example, many companies have to put a map of the company's location on their websites, So Google's map is there for direct use, and only less than 10 lines of JS programs are needed, it is dynamic, and it takes two hours to draw a picture in CorelDraw or Visio. Such maps can be used at any time, such as travel websites, real estate sales and rental websites. Many websites that provide services such as Enterprise yellow pages can easily integrate maps. There are some companies that provide e-business cards. Is it cool to add a map?

With the map service APIs, we can use the same technology to access different databases for data access from ODBC to ADO to ado.net, if one day GIS data can be accessed in this way, the GIS industry will come in the spring.

I have always believed that the GIS industry lags behind the IT industry in terms of technology and concept. Among them, there may be reasons for the current GIS leader ESRI, and there may be other reasons. MapInfo in 1980s (currently providing a good WebGIS solution, go2map is built based on maoinfo's mapxtreme) is called a non-professional GIS software vendor, but once occupied a large market, later, Microsoft's mappoint, Yahoo map, Google Map, and GIS applications related to public services (or spatial data applications) were not developed by Professional GIS companies.

With the involvement of large companies such as Microsoft and Google, the threshold for GIS application development will suddenly fall to a very high level, any company that can develop information systems can provide GIS-related solutions. Where are GIS-based companies? Just like the current database development, any developer can easily develop various GIS systems. Therefore, the concepts related to data types, projections, and spatial indexes that are unique to GIS practitioners are no longer needed for most development. Where should this branch and programmers go?

The impact on bottom-layer companies is probably two ways. First, they compete with these software giants to win a place based on their own expertise, but the problem is, google and others not only provide platforms but also data, and the latter is lethal. Once the basic geographic data provided is superimposed with your own professional data (now only XML can be used, then, dynamically create tags, points, and lines through JS). In this case, more professional fields, such as land management, will also fail. Second, they fall behind their very professional fields. After all, professional spatial analysis, 3D GIS, temporal GIS in research, and so on, these large companies may not necessarily compete with professional companies, in addition, we will not pay too much attention to this (the market is not large, for example, mappoint has no professional GIS function), so there should be a market for scientific research and professional applications, but not as big as the current market, so many companies can survive. And for ESRI companies, the main target is probably the enterprise software market.

All in all, for companies engaged in the GIS industry, the future will not be better because of something like Google map API, but rather severe. For individuals, "This is the worst time and the best time." with professional and huge companies, it is good for industry norms and advanced technology, we should only recognize the situation, position ourselves well, and study in depth. The viewpoint in my article "positioning GIS practitioners" is basically applicable.