Provide your audience with easy access to your spatial data with a high power, low cost interactive mapping application.
The task...
You have rich GIS datasets that you work hard to keep accurate and current, but the data is locked on your PC or network server. In order for the data to be useful, you need a) GIS software, and b) software training. Instead of developing new datasets you are stuck having to make maps and run queries whenever someone asks a geospatial question. You need to publish your data and maps over the web and provide users with a simple but powerful map viewer.
The problem...
Traditional Internet Map Server (IMS) solutions are typically expensive to develop and maintain and require complex web/map server setups.
- ArcIMS: Expensive ($10,000 + yearly maintenance), Heavy server requirements
- Manifold IMS: Less expensive ($350) but requires learning new software, installing software and runtime license on your web server, and the out-of-the-box template is extremely basic
- MapServer: Open Source (free) but still requires a dedicated map server loaded with software
- GeoServer: Open Source (free) but requires a dedicated map server and development of a "front end" viewer
The solution...
Utilize free and Open Source solutions which do not require special dedicated server side software. This means that you can host everything on a basic web server- you can even use a free hosting service!
Upload your data (shapefiles, MapInfo MIF files, JPG's, PNG's and more), a small Java Jar file, XML configuration files, and html pages- and you are done. Updating your data and modifying the application is as simple as editing an XML configuration file with a basic text editor (such as Notepad).