GIS Files 6: Expert GIS concepts

6: Introduction

From the embryonic early days of computerised maps, GIS has now grown into a fully-fledged science in its own right. Different aspects of geography and computing combine to create a complex and dynamic subject area. GIS as a discipline can now be followed in higher education and as a professional career. There is a wealth of literature written on the subject, in journals, textbooks and on the web.

These pages do not attempt to provide a comprehensive, in-depth description of every aspect of GIS. But in Chapter 6 – Advanced GIS concepts – we detail some of the more interesting and current GIS issues. Hopefully, this will emphasise just how far reaching the subject has become. In Chapter 6 – Advanced GIS concepts – you will discover the importance of data formats and standards, the impact of database technology on GIS evolution and how GIS has adapted to the Internet.

This chapter will also show how a diverse range of new types of map can be generated by GIS software and, in the section on location-based Services (LBS), why many predict an explosion in the use of geographic data in everyday life through the medium of handheld computers and mobile phones.

So read on to learn about a selection of more advanced GIS concepts.

6.1: Data formats (1) >