Alternatives To Google and Bing Map

With the battle between Microsoft (http://www.bing.com/maps/) and Google (http://maps.google.co.uk/), we easily forget that the web has a growing number of new products and project to support web mapping solution. This recent post (http://www.spatiallyadjusted.com/2009/12/14/openscales-an-open-source-mapping-framework-based-on-actionscript-3-and-flex/) from James Fee prompted me to start looking around for alternatives or different use of Web Mapping API.

Wiki Based Projects

OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap (OSM) – http://www.openstreetmap.org/- is a collaborative project to create a free editable map of the world. The maps are created using data from portable GPS devices, aerial photography, other free sources or simply from local knowledge. Both rendered images and the vector graphics are available for download under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 licence. OpenStreetMap was inspired by sites such as Wikipedia — the map display features a prominent ‘Edit’ tab and a full revision history is maintained. Registered users can upload GPS track logs and edit the vector data using the given editing tools.

This concept has allowed the development of a number of alternative projects has Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenStreetMap records:

WikiMapia

WikiMapia – http://wikimapia.org/#lat=51.45&lon=-2.5833&z=10&l=0&m=b – is an online map and satellite imaging resource that combines Google Maps with a wiki system, allowing users to add information, in the form of a note, to any location on Earth. Inspired by the success of Google Maps and Wikipedia, two Russian Internet entrepreneurs Alexandre Koriakine and Evgeniy Saveliev launched the website on May 24, 2006. Its aim is to describe the whole world. It now has over 11,350,000 places marked. Although registration is not required to edit or add to WikiMapia, over 592,200 users from around the world currently are registered. All content uploaded by users becomes the intellectual property of WikiMapia.

Web GIS API

ESRI ArcGIS Server API

With the launch of ArcGIS Server 9.3, ESRI has made available a number of APIs for developing GIS application over the web: http://www.esri.com/software/mapping_for_everyone/api/index.html. But on that topic, for those who have already read my blog knows that I have already written few article the JavaScript API version.

OpenScale

OpenScales is a Open Source (LGPL) mapping framework based on ActionScript 3 and Flex. It has been designed for building Rich Internet Mapping Applications easily.

Their goal is “to implement some of OpenLayers functionalities, on an OpenSource and modular ActionScript3 map client, with great vector performances. Middle/Long term vision is to have a single solution for Web/mobile/3D/Rich clients”, http://openscales.org/index.php/p/openscales/page/Roadmap/.

But watch this space, I will carry on looking around and keep updating the list.

ArcGIS 9.3.1 SP 1

ESRI has just released ArcGIS 9.3.1 SP1, for full detailed visite the ESRI support site. Another long list of issues fixed .

UK Mapping Data Goes Free

In the UK over the last few weeks there seems to be a lot of movement toward freeing mapping data, it is all good news.

Ordnance Survey – Base Mapping

For few years a battle had been started in the UK to free mapping data, as relayed by the newspaper Guardian. It looks like that campaign has won a major victory! See the following article for further details

On November 19^th Gordon Brown had made the announcement that the government intends to make Ordnance Survey maps free for use online by any organisation – including commercial ones – at resolutions more detailed than commercial 1:25,000 Landranger maps from April next year.

“Mid-range” maps, with resolutions from 1:10,000 upwards, will be made available for re-use, under the plans announced by the prime minister, along with information on postcode areas and electoral and council boundaries.

Postcode Sectors

Today the BBC confirmed the release of postcode data.  The move will be made as part of government’s commitment to make more use of technology and the web to transform official services. It appears that data will be freed by April 2010. The datasets to be freed is related to the postcodes sectors.

Postcode data freed

BGS Onshore Geological  Mapping

The good news does not stop there! The last few days BGS (British Geological Society) has announced the release of a new WMS to access 1:50K geological data, DiGMapGB-50.

WMS 1.3.0 GetMap request against superficial in Lat/Long WGS84 (WGS84)

Up to four themes of polygon or area information are available:

• Bedrock Geology;
• Superficial Deposits;
• Mass Movement;
• Artificial Ground.

The WMS is available in BNG and Lat/Long (WGS84)

• WMS 1.3.0 GetMap request against bedrock in British National Grid (BNG)
• WMS 1.3.0 GetMap request against superficial in Lat/Long WGS84 (WGS84)
• WMS 1.1.1 GetMap request against artificial ground in BNG
• WMS 1.1.1 GetMap request against mass movement in WGS84

Conclusion

For those who follow my blog might have noticed a recent post I published with the integration of OpenSpace (OS Base Mapping) with the ESRI ArcGIS JavaScript, extending the TiledMapServiceLayer.

This time, I have integrated the BGS WMS; by extending the DynamicMapServiceLayer. For further detail s on how to extend this type of layer, please refer to the following sample on the ESRI community web site.

Visit the following page to see the 1:50K geological map over OpenSpace base mapping.

BGS (WMS) overlayed on OpenSpace Data

StreetSide is coming to Bing Map

Bing map has just released the beta version of there new mapping solution, it is based on the Silverlight client. It includes Streetside, the competitor to streetview. For the time being, it seems to only be available in the United State

Streetside coverage

StreetSide Example

The new silverlight client also includes an enhance version of the birdview images. Microsoft has also included Photosynth, click on the link for an example.

Photosynth

But for further details on this new release have a look at the blog from Bing.