Flash GIS: Delivering Geographic Information on the Internet

Abstract

Delivering geographic information on the Internet is a great challenge for the humanities researcher. The level of interactivity and functionality required for the visualization of complex relationships, typical of humanities research, is beyond the capability of current GIS-to-web solutions. Combining the high quality vector display of the popular Flash Player plug-in with the speedy PostgreSQL database, IATH has developed a technique for delivering, interactive, animated, geographic information on the Internet. The Flash plug-in is intended as a display engine for advertising and cartoon animation. Our use of Flash as a thin client for delivering geographic data is innovative and unique. The Flash GIS system is broad and general in function and is applicable to a range of humanities data visualization problems. In order for Flash GIS to move beyond its current, proof-of-concept state and become production ready, support will be required from Macromedia and the GIS software community. Without software companies' cooperation, the humanities community will need to look to other emerging vector display technologies for a robust and scaleable solution.