Re: [emergency] One-Stop GISArticle and some thoughts

[Rex Brooks <rexb@starbourne.com>]

Thanks Eliot,

I wasn't necessarily reading criticism of Geospatial One-Stop, just 
noting the article and pondering on it in light of similar findings I 
had made in Public Health. What we have is a kind of balkanization of 
similar efforts that don't necessarily complement each other, nor do 
they actually compete or intentionally detract from each other.

I agree that more such work is needed, especially in bringing 
different efforts together, and it occurs to me that finding ways to 
increase public awareness of these concerns, the improvements that 
are coming online now and the ongoing work in this area is another 
way to contribute to improving the overall situation. As with the 
"Amber Alert" system, the attention that is focused on successful use 
of these systems will multiply the effectiveness of those systems. 
I'm not making any specific suggestions, just thinking out loud so to 
speak.

Ciao,
Rex

At 5:47 AM -0400 6/13/03, Eliot Christian wrote:
>At 06:15 AM 6/12/2003 -0700, Rex Brooks wrote:
>>Hi Folks,
>>
>>Hmmmn. I don't quite know what to say about this article, but it 
>>highlights a situation we should probably assess better.
>>
>>http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=10300774
>>
>>My recent survey of both the EM and Health Care standards arena as 
>>part of my focus on Human-Centric standards revealed common 
>>concerns in this area. I'm a lot less interested in trumpeting the 
>>shortcomings than I am in how to best contribute to improving this 
>>arena effectively--and saving us taxpayers some money better spent 
>>elsewhere, while improving the availability and delivery of 
>>information and services.
>
>I do not think one should read into the article any criticism of the 
>Geospatial One-Stop. Rather, I think the point is made that even 
>more of such work is needed. Here is some background in case you are 
>interested.
>
>Everyone agrees that standardization of GIS data is and must be a 
>primary goal. The ongoing process of GIS data standardization is 
>supported by a variety of programs, in and outside of government. 
>The Open GIS Consortium (OGC, http://www.opengis.org/ ) is a 
>standardization forum that includes most GIS vendors among its 
>participants. The Federal Government lead in such work is the 
>Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC, http://www.fgdc.gov/ ).
>
>In cooperation with organizations from State, local and tribal 
>governments, the academic community, and the private sector, the 
>FGDC is developing the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI 
>http://www.fgdc.gov/nsdi/nsdi.html ). The NSDI encompasses the 
>technologies, policies, and people necessary to promote sharing of 
>geospatial data.
>
>The Geospatial One-Stop ( http://www.geo-one-stop.gov/ ) is one 
>specific project within this broad context of GIS data 
>standardization programs and the NSDI. The project is accelerating 
>standardization that otherwise would have taken longer to achieve. 
>Given limited resources and time, the Geospatial One-Stop project 
>chose to focus on those kinds of GIS data that are often the base 
>layer for other kinds of GIS data. These most crucial GIS data are 
>designated as "NSDI Framework". NSDI Framework data are "the best 
>available data for an area, certified, standardized, and described 
>according to a common standard."
>
>NSDI Framework is comprised of seven "themes", having the following 
>data layers: Transportation (Road, Railroad, Transit, Air, 
>Waterway), Hydrography, Government Units, Geodetic Control, 
>Elevation, Digital Ortho Imagery, and Cadastral. You can see the 
>products of this standards work of the Geospatial One-Stop at 
>http://www.geo-one-stop.gov/Standards/
>
>Eliot
>
>
>You may leave a Technical Committee at any time by visiting 
>http://www.oasis-open.org/apps/org/workgroup/emergency/members/leave_workgroup.php


-- 
Rex Brooks
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