only in Canada eh! Beer Google Mashup helps you locate and map beer stores, micro brews etc...

View, locate beer stores, micro breweries, wine stores etc... in Southern Ontario, Canada.. a great mashup. Trust the Canadians to take their beer hunting so seriously. This is a fine effort and I can't wait to see it expanded. Hot spots contact address info, photos, type of establishment, hours, etc... This is the latest addition to our growing mashup category in our webmap gallery at gisuser - See http://www.beerhunter.ca/ Of interest, the geocoding is provided by a service from geocoder.ca... nice!

A JSP Taglibrary for Google Maps

This is pretty cool... the developer of this resource has started a JSP Tag Library to provide GoogleMaps capabilities for those who use JSP. According to the creator, it removes the need for the user to do any javascript/AJAX programming and you do not need to kow the GoogleMaps API. You can integrate easily with javabeans or JSTL to generate database driven maps. The library includes geocoding, some custom overlays (like polygon and circle), and includes mousewheel support for zooming in and out of version 1 maps. See http://www.lamatek.com/GoogleMaps/

Mapping US Census Data in Google Earth

juice Analytics has done a very cool job of intergrating US CEnsus Bureau data into Google Earth, resulting in some amazing graphics. They have generously provided links to KMZs for data from every State enabling you to easily generate a map of choice showing demographic profiles (County or Census Block group) for the area of interest you select... nice stuff! FYI, be sure to also check out their absolutely Google Earth tools, resources, links, yadayada - More at http://www.juiceanalytics.com/weblog/?p=119

The Topo Employees weblog... a blog from USGS employees

Are you interested in staying abreast of the USGS' concolidation and developments affecting USGS employees? This blog is the resource for you then... Sometime in late 2006 or early 2007 the U.S. Geological Survey's National Mapping program will be "reorganized" and "consolidated" -- polite euphemisms for a range of questionable actions. Among other things, some 300 employees will lose their jobs. This site is a forum for them to speak out. Keep tabs on the USGS crew and their thoughts at http://topoemp2.blogspot.com/

2006 Census of Canada preparing to get fired up

Every five years, the nation sets aside one day to conduct the census - a count of all people and households in Canada. The next Census Day is May 16, 2006. A website devoted to Census 2006 resources including career opportunities, census questions etc... has been set up. Visit the Government of Canada website (http://www.census2006.ca/) for information about the Canadian Census - note... I won't list an email address for job listings etc... as the last time I did this the agency totally freaked out and I received about 3 phone calls, 6 emails, and a registered letter... OUCH! Too funny

 

Cooperative efforts result in a fine Raster Clipping Project at MIN clearinghouse

More testament to some great, free data resources and a nice result of a cooperative effort, check out this Raster Clipping Pilot Project from Minnesota at  http://geoserver.state.mn.us/Raster2. Resulting from a cooperative agreement with the USDA, shared investment by the state Departments of Natural Resources, Transportation and Pollution Control, and an application development grant from NASA, this pilot project demonstrates an ability to use ArcSDE to clip out raster data layers from ArcIMS and download them to the user.  It was developed with a grant from The Institute for the Application of Geospatial Technology and is based on the raster clipping routine developed by  the  Idaho Department of Water Resources... nice stuff! 

 

More on data sharing and distributing GIS data

I recently contacted a couple of State clearinghouse coordinators to pick their brains about data sharing and redistribution of their GIS data products. I asked what they thought about the practice of commercial firms grabbing free data from public servers (or ordering CD/DVD sets) only to turn around and package them up for sale or resell online or via other sales channels.  The response from one coordinator... We’re quite familiar with the practice and, you may be surprised to learn, not terribly appalled or concerned about it.  Several items they outlined in point form.

 

We’re working hard to get out of the data sales business - As technology allowed us to drive down the cost of managing data orders to near zero, we eliminated the fee when customers relied on self-service (i.e. Internet download).  Our principal customers – governments, at all levels – benefit from freely available publicly-financed data and, as a result, have been more inclined to share their own data, as well. This model has proven wildly successful.

 

What is the proper function of government? - When applying GIS to the public policy issues, efficiency increases as investments are leveraged.  There’s more to be gained by encouraging state agencies and local governments to invest cooperatively in standardized and shared data then to make $100 here, $50 there trying to sell and resell public resources.

 

We’re working hard to stay in the data sales business:  If you call and request packaged data you’ll find that we’re still very happy to charge you for the service at, it turns out, competitive prices.

 

So in short... the next time you buy a DVD set from a government agency, simply duplicate the CDs and start sending them to your friends and colleagues, the agency is trying hard to get out of the data sales business, and they are also, at the same time, trying to stay in the data sales business... sounds to me like there's no clear agenda for the business model here. Or, how about a data sharing network? There's already an active group in Florida who cooperate online and via an electronic list... how about this.. the next time you buy the TIGER Line files, a county set of DOQQs or aerial photos, simply post via a data sharing list and we can all share the data.... not a bad idea. I would think the USGS DEMs would be a great place to start since the USGS won't distribute these data but rather, lets several commercial vendors handle the distribution. Any thoughts???

Free DOQQs for a "finski"? Check out these awesome GIS data finds and save yourself $25K or more

I couldn't help this one.. apparently the geocommunity (datadepot / thinkburst / qlinks (or whatever the he#$%$# the place is now called ;0)  has "DOQs DOQs DOQs"... at a mere $495 per State... nice deal getting these freely available data for a "FINski".... Want to save yourself some $25,000??? Simple to do - check out these free GIS data resources from State clearinghouse sites (most of which contain freely downloadable DOQS, DRGs and more). See the following useful resources for some valuable leads:

Free USGS directory - http://www.gisuser.com/content/view/607/28/

Guide to USGS Orthoimagery and DOQQs - http://www.gisuser.com/content/view/4890/28/

FGDC Suggested State Clearinghouse Websites - http://www.gisuser.com/content/view/4588/28/

Data Directory (100's of pointers to free State data resources) - http://www.gisuser.com/content/section/10/41/

Finally, I can't say this one enough... check out the USDA Geospatial gateway (Free DRG, DOQs, DEMs, and more!) A detailed description is offered up here at http://www.gisuser.com/content/view/1267/53/ or simply jump directly to http://datagateway.nrcs.usda.gov/ and start downloading data.

Bookmark these resources and save yourself some of your hard earned cash!

Windows Live Expo Beta Now Available -

I almost missed this one from Microsoft... it explains where they are heading with Live and how all the pieces seem to be coming into place. Notice the crucial role that geography and geo-tagging is to the online classifieds market... From the news - Most classified advertising services generalize product location by a pre-defined city location, regardless of where in the city the product is located. However, all products and services listed in Windows Live Expo are geographically identified, or geo-tagged, by ZIP code, not city, which specifically defines where the product is located. Windows Live Expo customers also have the option to search for items within a radius as small as 25 miles or as large as the entire United States, making it easier to define a search. Windows Live Expo listings are also integrated with MSN's satellite-image- based Windows Live Local so customers can view maps and aerial imagery of neighborhoods they may want to live in. Some other facts about Live Expo - Windows Live Expo is integrated with MSN Messenger and Windows Live Local mapping. Products listed in Windows Live Expo are geo-tagged and fully integrated with Windows Live Local, which can help users map, for example, the location of a prospective new home to see if it really is a "waterfront property" like a listing may say. The Windows Live Expo beta is available at http://expo.live.com/ 

New F-Secure world virus map - Mapping the world virus situation

New F-Secure world virus map offers current global perspective at a glance -- F-Secure has launched a comprehensive online tool for everybody interested in understanding the world virus situation at a glance. The resource, which was developed for research purposes at F-Secure is now available to the general public in four languages, respectively English, French, German and Finnish. Visitors will first see the full world map situation but will quickly be able to drill down for information based on a geographical area or country. Color representations of infection levels from quiet to epidemic give the viewer an immediate overview of a country or region.  To view maps of the latest virus threats see: English: http://worldmap.f-secure.com/vwweb_1_2/en/ / French: http://worldmap.f-secure.com/vwweb_1_2/fr/  / German: http://worldmap.f-secure.com/vwweb_1_2/de/ / Finnish: http://worldmap.f-secure.com/vwweb_1_2/fi/

 

FGDC main Clearinghouse search gateway server failed - Two other gateways available

Word from the FGDC has it that the main Clearinghouse search gateway server, hosted at the EROS Data Center, has failed and is in the process of being physically replaced and restored. This Gateway will come back online between March 10-14. In the interim, remember that Two other gateway instances are available for search of the full Clearinghouse, operated by NOAA-CSC and NRCS, for search of domestic and international resources. Their URLs are: http://clearinghouse.csc.noaa.gov http://fgdc.ftw.nrcs.usda.gov/gateways.html - Thanks to Douglas D. Nebert, Geospatial Data Clearinghouse Coordinator, Information Architect FGDC/GSDI Secretariat for the heads-up!

A2E announced the Launch and commercial release of A2E

A2E has announced the Launch and commercial release of A2E (Arc2Earth). The first release of Arc2Earth will include Standard and Professional versions.
Arc2Earth comes in three different versions that have different levels of functionality in them.
Standard - $99 USD
Professional - $299 USD
Developer (TBA)
Recall, Arc2Earth can export data in several different layouts. All of these layouts are useful in different ways from within Google Earth. To order see http://www.arc2earth.com/pricing/default.htm - Kudos to Biran Flood for getting this highly anticipated application out the door. See http://www.arc2earth.com

netomat's Free Service Adds Mobile Power to Flickr

Are you a flickr user? Do you moblog from your smart phone? Check this out... netomat, Inc announced today that its free netomat hub service (www.netomat.net) is optimized for Flickr, the online photo management and sharing application, to deliver Flickr updates with images and text to mobile phones. To receive Flickr updates simply sign up with netomat and click "Start a hub" Members can then choose the netomat Flickr news feed or start a new hub with the unique RSS 2.0 or Atom feed link found at the bottom of each Flickr group page. The new content will then be sent to members' mobile phones, PCs or both, whichever they prefer.  netomat hub also seamlessly integrates multiple essential services for real-time group communication on mobile phones and PCs. This includes picture and text messaging with presence, trusted social networking, RSS syndication, digital photo storage and update alerts.  Sounds kind a cool and since I'm an avid Flickr users and smartphone (Nokia 6680 & 7610) user this could be a nifty solution. Another tip... those of you interested in moblogging from your camrephone might also check out Shozu (www.shozu.com) the service is very cool and optimized to save you on data throughput (and hefty charges!)

ESRI Developer Summit - Keynotes to include execs from ESRI, Microsoft, and IBM

A reminder from ESRI points out that the First annual Dev Summit is only 17 days away. Normally I would blast off to such an event but this year I've opted to hang out at home on March 17th for a change so I can celebrate my kids birthdays - ya that's right.. 2 of them have St. Patrick's Day birthdays on the 17th - as a result, a ski trip is on the horizon instead of the usual requisite March trip to an event (March is always the start of a busy travel season!). Speakers lined up to keynote the event include ESRI's Scott Morehouse (ESRI Director of Research and Development),  as well as reps from IBM and Microsoft. More info can be found at http://www.esri.com/events/devsummit/index.html

More on Microsoft Windows Live Local Technology Preview

Today, via the Internet,  Windows Live Local is offering up a limited Technical Preview of ‘street-side’ a new feature that Microsoft is building for its Windows Live Local consumer local search and mapping site. Street-side provides three new street-level vantage points for Windows Live Local users wanting a sneak preview of desired destinations, and surrounding visual cues on how to get there. I just spent some time driving around Seattle and San Francisco using the technology. The 3 different viewer perspectives are quite cool, similar in concept to what you see at A9 if you've ever walked the streets using their fine mapping app. I wasn't too big on the Race Car concept, although I'm sure some will find it quite cool! Walking the streets to get a feel for an area is very interesting and the imagery definitely make it simple and fun. you can see more from my tour at http://www.gisuser.com/content/view/8274/28/ or try the technology for yourself at http://preview.local.live.com. Of note, those interesting in hacking the service to create a mashup can forget about it... that's not a supported feature at this time!

Windows Live Local consumer local search and mapping to expand with street-side - new functionality

Later Today Windows Live Local will preview some new functionality -- the company will be showing yours truly (and others) a Technical Preview of ‘street-side’, a new feature Microsoft is building for its Windows Live Local consumer local search and mapping site. As its name implies, street-side provides three new street-level vantage points for Windows Live Local users wanting a sneak preview of desired destinations, and surrounding visual cues on how to get there.  Some features:

- Street-side imagery will be available in a split screen navigation window.  In the upper navigation pane, Windows Live Local users can view street-level imagery of their destinations.  In the lower navigation pane, Windows Live Local users can switch between three navigation vehicles -  race car, sports car, and walk-by... cool!

- The preview will focus on 2 cities - Seattle and San Francisco.

Stay tuned. More info available later today at local.live.com

 

ASK adds maps but you'll likely ASK yourself why here and not at Google?

As if there isn't already enough choices for online maps and directions, ASK.com (you know - that search portal that used to have that annoying Butler named Jeeves) has ditched Jeeves and has "relaunched" with a number of new features, including maps. Users can search by address and view a Street, aerial, or mixed view. The resulting images from GlobeXplorer and Navteq are very reminiscent of what you'd get from a search at Google Maps, including the balloon and information panel to go with it (ASK uses a sign instead of a balloon). Visiting http://www.ask.com results in a simple "searchenginish" looking doorway offering options of news, images, maps, shopping, yadayada. You can use ASK to search for "stuff" by I would have to ASK.. why would you use this instead of Google??

Mapping the real Vancouver in preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympics

Did you watch the closing ceremonies from Torino? If so you got a glimpse of what things are like in Vancouver and what to expect. Mind-you, what you saw was the actually the politically correct, gratuitous kiss-up to the Aboriginal population and the French (do they even speak French in Vancouver?) that you always get from the British Columbian & Canadian Government. To get a good feel for what you can expect in Vancouver you might check out some of the innovative web mapping applications available from the GIS community (like VanMap and  WhistlerMap). Many local governments including the City of Vancouver, North Vancouver, Delta, Surrey, and Whistler have dedicated web mapping resources... these have been explored along with a number of others in this information piece now at http://www.gisuser.com/content/view/8264/55/. FYI, do you need to speak French in Vancouver??? NO (hardly anyone speaks French) and you'll be hard-pressed to find any Inukshuks!

The MapXtreme 2005 - v6.5: FREE Online Seminar

I'm not usually the first one in line to hype MapInfo's stuff, however, here's details of a free webinar that may be of interest to you... MapXtreme 2005 - v6.5: FREE Online Seminar - 9th March 2006 - 2.30pm (GMT) An overview of the latest release of MapXtreme 2005, MapInfo's industry leading location based development environment. MapXtreme 2005 SDK is a single offering providing the ability to develop both desktop and web applications using the .NET framework. This seminar will outline many of the new features of this major release as well as a quick glance at what you can expect in the coming 12 months as MapInfo continues to develop and expand this popular product. See http://www.mapxtreme.com