Developing Web-based Mapping Applications Through Distributed Object Technology

Emerging web-based mapping technologies use the World Wide Web (WWW) and Internet protocols to provide the ability to distribute, access, and visualize geospatial information over the Internet. Many web-based mapping applications have been developed to deliver geospatial information within and across organizations and even to the public at large. A major technological challenge is to achieve interoperability amongst web-based mapping applications so that mapping and geoprocessing resources distributed over the Internet can be shared and integrated. This paper presents an approach to the development of web-based mapping applications using distributed object technology in order to enable interoperability. Distributed object technology combines object technology, which utilizes reusable software components (called objects) that model real-world entities to build software systems, and distributed computing, which allows computing resources to be distributed and accessed over computer networks. The paper introduces a distributed object technology, the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA); proposes an architecture for web-based mapping using CORBA; and presents a prototype implementation.     

Maps and Mapping Technologies of the Persian Gulf War

Assessing the recent Persian Gulf War from a cartographic standpoint is now possible. Unlike in previous wars, which established new technologies for postwar cartographic exploitation, the gulf war is unique in having presented a proving ground for electronic cartographic technology. An analysis is given of map coverage of the war by the media, especially magazines and newspapers, and from a military perspective. From a cartographic standpoint, the winners in the war include hand-held Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, geographic information systems (GIS), workstation-based image processing and cartographic map-production systems, and radar imaging from aircraft. More fully exploiting and building on the success of these technologies in peacetime seems to be a clear mandate for academic and professional cartography.