ESRI's Geography Network Goes Live!
Redlands, California-ESRI is pleased to announce the launch of the Geography Network, a collaborative and multi-participant system for publishing, sharing, and using digital geographic information on the Internet.
The Geography Network can be thought of as a large online library of distributed GIS information, available to everyone. It has been designed to adhere to open standards for the dissemination and sharing of data and services. Professional users can connect to the Geography Network and directly use the data and application services provided by other participants. Data can be shared and integrated using a wide spectrum of simple to advanced GIS and visualization software technologies. GIS browser software on the Geography Network allows users to freely visualize, query, and analyze data. GIS software can also be used to connect one or more sites at the same time and using the techniques of digital map overlay and visualization, users can simultaneously combine and analyze many types of data from different sources.
The Geography Network is an open system designed using industry standards and protocols. It serves as a test bed for data providers and the Open GIS Consortium. The Geography Network is designed for GIS users who wish to share and disseminate their data; discover and use other people's data by searching the metadata catalog; provide applications, such as location and mapping capabilities; and sell data and applications.
Geography Network users will be able to access online tools that allow them to define an area of interest and search for specific geographic content. A secondary menu will guide the user to mapping services and geographic data that are available for the selected study area. This will not only eliminate the need for the protracted Web searches currently required to find the data needed for a project but will also make the content immediately accessible online.
Hundreds of data layers are currently available through the Geography Network. Worldwide offerings include political, elevation, vegetation, land use, socioeconomic statistics, and satellite imagery, to name a few. U.S. data includes administrative boundaries, detailed streets, topographic maps, natural hazards, environmental hazards, demographic statistics, crime statistics, aerial photography, and much more.
Observes Jack Dangermond, ESRI President, "Perhaps the most interesting and important implication of the Geography Network is that citizens from around the world will be able to share in the rich treasures of information currently maintained and accessed by only a few. The result will be that over time everyone will learn and better understand how the world works. This will lead to better personal decisions and facilitate more participation and collaboration in the decision making that effects how the world evolves."
For more information, visit the Geography Network site at www.GeographyNetwork.com.
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For more than thirty years, ESRI has been the leading developer of geographic information system (GIS) software with more than 300,000 clients worldwide. ESRI also provides consulting, implementation, and technical support services. In addition to its headquarters in California, ESRI has regional offices throughout the United States, international distributors in more than ninety countries, and more than 1,050 business partners. ESRI's goal is to provide users with comprehensive tools to help them quickly and efficiently manage and use geographic information to make a real difference in the world around them. ESRI can be found on the Web at www.esri.com.
ESRI, ArcView, and the ESRI globe logo are trademarks of Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc., registered in the United States and certain other countries; registration is pending in the European Community. GIS by ESRI, ArcInfo, and ArcIMS are trademarks and www.esri.com and @esri.com are service marks of Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. Other companies and products mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective trademark owners.
Contact InformationJim Baumann 380 New York St Redlands, Ca 92373 | USACompany InformationCompany: ESRI Email: press@esri.com Phone: 909-793-2853 Ext: 1807 Fax: Toll Free: Website: Http://www.esri.com
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