Archived GIS Snippets
Published in 2013
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spatial reference system: What is it?
by regina o. obe and leo s. hsu, authors of postgis in action, second edition
The topic of spatial reference systems (SRS) is one of the more abstruse in GIS to understand. This is mainly due to the loose way in which people use the term spatial reference system and secondly to its unglamorous nature compared to other areas of GIS. If GIS is Disneyland, think of SRS as the bookkeeping necessary to keep the Disneyland operation afloat. In this article, based on chapter 3 of PostGiS in Action, Second Edition, the authors explain the components of a spatial reference system.
Take any two paper maps from your collection having one point in common and overlay one atop of the other using as a reference the point they have in common. Both maps represent the whole or a part of Earth, but unless you're extremely lucky, the two maps have no relation to each other. Travel five centimeters right on one map and you can end up on another street. Five centimeters on the other map could put you in another continent. Your two maps don't overlay well because they don't have the same spatial reference system.
The main reason for the GIS data consumer to become acquainted with the spatial reference system (SRS) is to bring in data from disparate sources in different SRSs and be able to overlay one atop another. Many standards exist to make this task easy without having to delve into the nuances of SRS. The most common one is the European Petroleum Survey Group (EPSG) numbering system. Take any two sources of data with the same EPSG number, and they'll overlay perfectly. EPSG is a fairly recent SRS numbering system. If you uncover data from a few decades ago, you'll not find an EPSG number. You'll have no choice but to delve into the constituent pieces that form a spatial reference system. So what is a spatial reference system?
first published week of: 02/25/2013
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Statewide GIS License from Esri Supports Maryland's STEM Goals
Students Can Build Skills for Further Education and Employment
The State of Maryland has signed a statewide software license agreement with Esri to make geographic information system (GIS) technology available for all K?12 classrooms and formal after-school programs. This agreement marks another step for the state as it expands its efforts to develop science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-proficient students with the ability to pursue postsecondary study and careers in these fields.
”States want all students to build skills in integrative thinking, analysis, problem solving, and communication, and GIS fosters these,“ says Charlie Fitzpatrick, Esri’s K–12 schools solutions manager. ”Many businesses and government agencies in Maryland use GIS to solve problems, and now all kids, educators, and administrators can as well.”
As early as elementary school, students need to engage in applied STEM–related projects to begin the development of their technological knowledge and skills. GIS software is an important tool for these projects because it can help students answer complex questions, investigate global issues, and solve challenging real-world problems.
”We have a project funded by the Maryland State Department of Education to develop elementary STEM education training for teachers,“ says Stewart Bruce, GIS program coordinator at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland, and administrator of the state license. ”Free access to GIS for all elementary and secondary school classrooms and formal after-school programs will help us achieve our goals to increase STEM-related education. It will also be a very useful resource in our environmental projects.“
Bruce has set up a website for Maryland teachers interested in requesting GIS software or learning more about it here. A web-based GIS curriculum for elementary and secondary schools is also available on the site.
first published week of: 02/11/2013
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Staying In Touch with Mobile Responder
by april windham
Mobile technology is changing dramatically and constantly revamping the way we communicate. Years ago, the concept of having a mobile device that would act as both a telephone and an internet platform wasn’t even a thought, and now, most of us have at least one, if not two, mobile devices with us at all times. There are more and more devices available each and every day, and smart phones and tablets are quickly replacing the need for desktop and laptop computers. In fact, more people will access the internet through mobile devices than PCs this year. According to predictions, the total count for mobile applications downloaded in 2013 will reach 102 billion by the end of the year.
Mobile devices are powerful tools to improve the way we communicate, making it even more important for businesses and governments to keep up with the ever-changing mobile trends. Officially launched today, Intergraph’s Mobile Responder application – available on iPhones, iPads, and Android devices – extends Intergraph’s industry-leading computer-aided dispatch (I/CAD) into the field. Taking advantage of the cost-effective option of the smartphones and tablets, Mobile Responder improves safety and productivity, enabling first responders to send and receive real-time information wherever they go.
Because public safety agencies need proven technologies, Intergraph worked with New Zealand Police to develop Mobile Responder. New Zealand Police use Intergraph’s I/CAD to protect the entire country of New Zealand. The agency extended incident management capabilities to the field, deploying more than 10,000 devices featuring Mobile Responder to 6,500 frontline police officers. New Zealand Police estimate the mobility project will increase productivity by 30 minutes per shift, which saves 520,000 hours each year and effectively puts 345 more police on the streets. Over 12 years, the agency will save more than NZ$300 million.
Check out this video with New Zealand Police to see how Mobile Responder has enabled the department to make smarter decisions:
For more information about New Zealand Police and Mobile Responder, check out the following articles:
- NZ Police See Crime Stats Drop after Apple Device Rollout
- Mobile Tools for New Graduates
- On the Go with Mobile
- Mobility Rollout Shifts Work from Desk to Community
- Technology Decision Exciting Time for Police
first published week of: 10/07/2013
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susan marlow selected to fill vacancy on mapps board of directors
MAPPS, the national association of private sector geospatial firms, has announced the selection of Susan Marlow, founder and CEO of Smart Data Strategies of Franklin, TN as a member of the association’s Board of Directors. Ms Marlow was selected by the MAPPS Board to fill a vacancy caused by the retirement and resignation of Paul Harwig, PE, SP, formerly of Fugro Horizons, Inc., Rapid City, SD.
“Susan Marlow has been a recognized and respected leader of our profession. Her vision and experience will be an asset to the Board and our entire membership,” said Richard “Dick” McDonald, PLS, (T3 Global Technologies, Bridgeville, PA), President of MAPPS. “I am delighted she has agreed to serve and we welcome her to the Board.”
Smart Data Strategies, Inc. provides a variety of GIS software and services that focus on Real Property Intelligence™. Ms Marlow has been involved in numerous leadership activities in the geospatial profession. She has long served as Chairman of the MAPPS Federal Cadastre Task Force and has been the recipient of numerous MAPPS Presidential Awards for her contributions.
Ms Marlow also has been Chairman of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Panel for Integrating Geospatial Technologies into the ROW Process; a member of the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Land Parcel Databases that produced the report, National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future; a delegate to the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) summit on Land Parcel Data for the Mortgage Crisis; and Chairman of the Board, Institute for GIS Studies (IGISS). She has testified before Congress on parcels, federal geospatial coordination, and geospatial workforce development.
first published week of: 01/21/2013
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The GeoWeb will change consumer and business behavior
by jason e. klein
Maps and geography have helped humans understand their surroundings in the context of their neighbors, their town, their country, the Earth, and the Universe for about the past 2,000 years. For about 400 years, since Mercator figured out how to portray the curved Earth on a flat piece of paper, not much changed in the world of geography — until the launch of 24 GPS satellites by the U.S. Department of Defense about 30 years ago.
Digital location-based technologies are now a transformative force for consumers and businesses, particularly when coupled with the rapid adoption of mobile and the growth of big data. I’m a big believer in the future for “GeoDisruption” — the potential for consumers and businesses to interact in fundamentally new ways to take advantage of increasingly precise location-based technologies.
This is the debut of a column I’ll write for Street Fight exploring the growth of the “GeoWeb” and the emergence of GeoDisruptive trends and companies. When I’m not writing columns, I am the CEO/founder of On Grid Ventures, an investment and advisory firm focused on digital and location-based technologies.
GeoDisruption: Where we are
Location-based technologies have already been a dislocating force in many industries.
- Automobile marketing at the local level used to be all about newspapers and television, and companies like Autotrader, Cars.com, and Autobytel have used geo-based lead generation to irrevocably shift in-market auto buyers and local car marketing spending to the GeoWeb.
- GPS has made paper maps obsolete.
- General B2C platforms like Yelp are changing the way we evaluate local services.
- Vertical B2C platforms like OpenTable are changing the way we find and book nearby restaurants.
first published week of: 08/05/2013
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The top 50 woeful passwords exposed by the Adobe security breach
by graham cluley
In early October, Adobe revealed that hackers had breached its network and (as well as stealing source code) had accessed customer databases including the details of approximately 3 million users.
Within a couple of weeks, however, Adobe was forced to acknowledge that a more accurate figure for the number of people who were impacted by the hack was some 38 million active users after a 3.8GB file containing more than 150 million usernames/passwords was dumped on the net.
“So far, our investigation has confirmed that the attackers obtained access to Adobe IDs and (what were at the time valid), encrypted passwords for approximately 38 million active users,” said Adobe spokesperson Heather Edell.
The truth is that, in a screw-up of colossal proportions, Adobe didn’t protect the password data with a one-way cryptographic hashing algorithm. continued…
first published week of: 12/02/2013