Sunday, October 19, 2003

GIS Before there was GIS, there was GIS.  This was in the references section of a paper on databases I had to read for class (http://www.acm.org/classics/nov95/) Indeed, a true classic.  "GIS (Generalized Information System), Application Description Manual H20-0574. IBM Corp., White Plains, N. Y., 1965." 10:35:05 PM     comment []

Friday, October 10, 2003

MN GIS/LIS II As I mentioned, this Thursday and Friday, I'm at the MN GIS/LIS annual conference. I've tried to go to presentations about mobile GIS applications. Mobile GIS apps are a big part of my masters thesis, and work so, anyway, the other main themes this year are Internet Mapping, and Remote Sensing. The conference has been good for a couple reasons. 1) Get to see people in the Minnesota GIS community I don't normally see like... Steve Lime - Mapserver creator Kimberly Kowal - Map Librarian at the University of Minnesota, and on the board of directors Jesse Deegan - Recognized as a Scholorship winner at the conference Susanna McMaster - The only Geography professor at Mac who's knowledge I still use, and they let her go. Now she's Peter Morey - Rick Morey's brother, who, I think it's worth mentioning, has three brothers, a sister, and a brother-in-law who all work for MnDOT!) Tim Loesch -  DNR GIS Architect 2) Access to vendors for questions Talked to a guy from Trimble. We're looking at getting a Trimble GeoXT ruggedized ( I like saying ruggedized) Windows CE device with built in GPS. I found out, though I couldn't from Trimble's website, that the new models will be bluetooth enabled. This means we can plan on leveraging (I don't like saying leveraging) our existing ArcIMS services for mobile GIS applications. And that's a good thing. 3) Network I met a woman from Geo Comm, they do 911 location based services stuff. She seemed to know a lot about LBS technology in the US.   7:00:01 PM     comment []

MN GIS/LIS conference 1 Classmate, Jeff Coate, was part of a panel presentation at the GIS/LIS conference today. The Wright County, and the Cities of Buffalo and St. Michael, are integrating map services for data sharing and cooperation. My question for Jeff. How has this technology affected the relationship of the parties involved? Other Geog 8291ers invloved:  Professor, Francis Harvey, presented about local data issues with NSDI. Avowed technophobe, Rick Morey, was also there representing MnDOT. I provided technical support to Nancy Rader, of LMIC, for her presenation about the MGMG metadata tools. The software wasn't installed correctly on her laptop. During the presentation, I had to install the Metadata Editor and Stylesheet the old fashioned way. It was harrowing only because the mouse pad was set so 'loose' that the mouse was flying all over the screen. I could barely get control over it.   11:07:04 AM     comment []

Tuesday, September 30, 2003

New Category I'm starting a new category. After spending about 7 hours today programming a metadata editor for ArcCatalog I figured I might write about GIS once in a while. Today it was all about dates, standards and sychronization. Overall here's a quick rundown: I've been working in GIS for about 5 years. I work for a Regional Planning agency. I make a lot of maps. Do a fair amount of programming for GIS, this is mostly scripting, but also some COM stuff which I don't truly understand. Anyway, if I post here about GIS from time to time, don't let that frighten you off.   12:21:24 AM     comment []