Oxford Archaeology data on Google Maps

[Steve]

Thanks Kevin.

I've done experiments with point, polygon and polyline data. All of which work well on a Google Map. In fact, they will work well on any of the free mapping APIs (Google Maps, Yahoo Maps, MS Maps). I've demonstrated that SHP data can be served from MapServer (free) onto a Google Map either as WFS or WMS. I've also demonstrated that both spatial and non-spatial (attribute) queries and be run and the data returned.

So we know that it's all possible. The missing element of course is data.

The way I see online archaeology mapping going for the future is a series of services. This is really what Web 2.0 is all about - linking distributed datasets, in other words "mash-ups".

If others followed the lead of OA and opened up services (even if they were licenced) then a lot of archaeology data that has been so far unavailable could be shown to both researchers and the public.



Steve White

[Steve]

Just thought you'd like to know that the Google Map API added another geo class to the API today:

KML and GeoRSS Support Added to the Google Maps API: http://googlemapsapi.blogspot.com/

Bear in mind that there are many plugins for GIS software that export to KML. So, it's now even easier to add data from your GIS package to Google Maps.


Steve White

[kevin wooldridge]

Steve, you might be interested in the Norwegian Open Access GIS site at http://www.gislink.no. (Although the site presents in Norwegian, I,m sure you can find your way around, as the main controls are very similar to the ArcView menu).

This is the Norwegians national version of Google Earth and presents a fantastic potential resource (particularly as all local government bodies in Norway seem committed to its use).

Now if only, there was a Norwegian 'GIS-interested' archaeologist with interests simialar to yours, interested in developing the resource for archaeological use....

[putt1ck]

The data is served both WFS/WMS, and yes, more information will become available per point served, as well as more points. We will shortly put out our own webGIS interface with OpenLayers, and longer term with Mapguide, to extend the capabilities.

OA don't have an OS licence suitable for general use - however, if everyone wants to club together and buy a full OS single machine licence (we calculate at about £28k), we would happily serve that to the Internet from a server (while serving our own data from another and the webGIS interfaces from yet others, etc.) as the licence terms currently allow this. Anyone for full OS maps as part of their mash-up?

@KevinW: no, this was not a commercial decision, so much as a philosophical/charitable/scientific one. All the work on mapserving so far has been for external public use, not an extension of internal work. It is an offshoot of the open archaeology concept: open standards because we must preserve the record, open source because of so many excellent reasons, as well as the simple fact it is the only way that archaeology will ever get software designed for purpose, open data because it is an essential element of scientific investigation.

If the philosophies expressed at

http://openarchaeology.net

just isn't clear enough, let me know and I'll happily expand on them. At great length .

Chris

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Strictly my views, which occasionally may also be those of my employer!
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