Welcome to GISWeekly! In discussions this week with Gary Lang, VP of engineering for the Infrastructure Solutions Division (ISD) of Autodesk and Rich Steele, Autodesk corporate counsel, GISWeekly learned about the outcome of the Open Source Geospatial Foundation meeting in Chicago last week. Find out about it in this week's Industry News.
GISWeekly welcomes letters and feedback from readers, so let us know what you think. Send your comments to me Here.
Best wishes,
Susan Smith, Managing Editor
Industry News
Open Source Geospatial Foundation Gets a Name and Domain at Chicago Meeting
By Susan Smith
In discussions this week with Gary Lang, VP of engineering for the Infrastructure Solutions Division (ISD) of Autodesk and Rich Steele, Autodesk corporate counsel, GISWeekly learned about the outcome of the Open Source Geospatial Foundation meeting in Chicago last week. The MapServer Foundation, as the foundation was previously dubbed, was announced at Autodesk University in November. In January, Autodesk renamed their new product MapServer Enterprise to MapGuide Open Source. At that time, the February 4 meeting was announced to settle on a name for the Foundation and elect board members.
The Attendees at the meeting represented over 17 different groups/companies and over 20 different open source geospatial projects. A summary of the event can be found on the website.
1) What agenda items did you plan to address with the Open Source meeting and what were the most critical issues on the table?
GL: The most critical were agenda items were: governance, legal protection, IPR, licenses, funding, community management.
2) How was a name for the Foundation arrived at?
GL: Voting on the list came to a tie between MapTools and Open Geospatial Software Foundation. Arnulf wanted “open source” in the name, and many of us including me agreed. It was expressed that OS Geospatial Foundation (OSGEO) was suggested as a good compromise between that desire and the voted-on names. So we took a vote in the room - OSGEO was agreed on, and we bought the domain at the end of the vote.
3) Was the board formed before this meeting or during the course of the meeting?
During the Governance breakout in the meeting.
4) Who are the chosen board members and how long will their tenure be?
RS: There will be nine initial directors. Five were chosen in Chicago from among the meeting participants, and four more will be chosen in the coming weeks by the foundation's membership-at-large. Because the foundation hasn't ratified a set of bylaws yet, the tenure of the initial board has not yet been determined. However, the consensus is that the initial board may serve for up to a year, or perhaps less if an annual meeting of the membership is held sometime later in calendar 2006.
The five Chicago Board members are: Arnulf Christl, Markus Neteler, Frank Warmerdam, Chris Holmes and Gary Lang
5) How is membership decided?
RS: The community members (~21 people) who attended the Chicago meeting will be admitted as the initial members of the foundation. Within the next week or so, once the OSGeo mail lists are set up, there will be a call for additional nominations for foundation membership from the public community. The existing membership formed in Chicago will then vote on the new nominations, with a goal of admitting additional members so that the total membership, including the original 21, does not exceed 45. There are no formal criteria for membership other than peer recognition of the individual's contributions and potential for continuing contributions to the community. As with the Apache model, all interim members are natural persons, not corporations.
Once the second tranche of members is admitted, the membership as a whole will elect 4 new directors to fully constitute the interim board of 9 persons.
6) Were there legal issues addressed?
RS: Yes, there was a legal breakout session focused primarily on foundation IP policies, licensing and license compatibility, and what form the OSGeo contributor agreements would take (i.e., copyright assignment vs. a broad license to the foundation). The group also discussed the foundation's plans for applying for tax-exempt status
7) As there are many open source providers, how will the foundation determine what licensing and format practices will be acceptable?
GL: We agreed to accept only those projects that use an OSI-approved license.
RS: The founders recognize that OSGeo is not the creation of a new open source project from scratch, but rather an amalgamation of many existing projects with their own unique history and licensing philosophy. As a result, it is unlikely that the foundation will require the use of any particular open source license as this would only serve to exclude many worthwhile projects. However, in furtherance of its general philosophy of promoting open source software, the foundation would require that all software be released under an open source license approved by the Open Source Initiative. The interim board will be charged with developing the OSGeo's IP policies and contributor agreements. And because one of the goals of the foundation is to create a open geospatial ecosystem with cross-project collaboration, the board will also be working through license-compatibility issues.
8) How will the OSGF be financed?
GL: Sponsorships. Autodesk will be one sponsor.
9) What kinds of projects will the OSGF initiate and will those projects be designed to generate revenue?
GL: Right now, the goal is to incorporate projects that address end-to-end user problems. That is, we'd like to provide a one-stop place for end-users to find and download software that works together.
Top News of the Week
|
Preetha Pulusani |
|
Ben Eazzetta |
Intergraph Corporation announced Preetha Pulusani, president of Intergraph's Security, Government & Infrastructure (SG&I) division, has elected to retire after 25 years with the Company. Ben Eazzetta, previously chief operating officer of Intergraph's SG&I division, succeeded Pulusani as the SG&I division president reporting to Reid French, the Company's chief operating officer. Intergraph Executive Vice President Preetha Pulusani to Retire
A new, free training seminar from ESRI Virtual Campus explores the risk management capabilities of HAZUS-Multihazards (MH), a free ArcGIS extension developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). HAZUS-MH for Decision Makers, presented by ESRI Virtual Campus, provides an overview of the application in the areas of mitigation, response, recovery, planning, and risk management for earthquake-, hurricane-, and flood-related events. See press release
Bentley Systems, Incorporated announced that it has acquired the assets of Cook-Hurlbert of Austin, Texas, a leading provider of engineering design software for electric and gas distribution networks. Cook-Hurlbert's Expert Designer spatial network layout and analysis software was among the first developed specifically for utility designers and engineers. Users of this open and integrated software include many leading utilities such as Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE), a Constellation Energy Company, and Xcel Energy. See press release
Laser-Scan is currently participating in a research programme to deliver database functionality for a 3 Dimensional Topology Model.
This research is being conducted under a Phase II SBIR awarded to LSI by the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center's (ERDC) Topographic Engineering Center (TEC). The ERDC is the premier research and development facility for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It consists of seven laboratories at four geographical sites, with over 2,000 employees, $1.2 billion in facilities, and an annual research program approaching $700 million. It conducts research in both military and civil works mission areas for the Department of Defense and the nation. See press release
John Copple, CEO of Sanborn, a photogrammetric mapping and geospatial industry company based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is pleased to announce that the company has appointed Mr. Shankar Narayana as vice president of sales and marketing for Sanborn Technology Resources located in Mumbai, India. See press release
Acquisitions/Agreements/Alliances
Rolta International, Inc., and Orion Technology Inc., a provider of web-GIS software and integration services, announced a partnership agreement. Under the terms of the partnership, Rolta International, Inc. will provide implementation services for Orion Technology's OnPoint Suite of web-GIS products to Utility and Government organizations. Rolta has been serving users of GIS and digital mapping technologies in these sectors for more than a decade.
Telmap, provider of mobile Mapping and Navigation solutions, announced that it has officially joined the Research in Motion (RIM) Independent Software Vendor (ISV) Alliance Program. The membership agreement provides Telmap with broad opportunities to develop mobile navigation applications for BlackBerry(r) on behalf of mobile operator and enterprise customers.
As an official member of the Alliance Program, Telmap is working to optimize the Telmap Navigator mobile mapping and navigation solution for BlackBerry customers in Europe.
AccuWeather.com, the world's leading commercial weather service, and Triangle Software LLC have announced a partnership to offer traffic information for AccuWeather.com's no-cost subscription and commercial web products.
TSI (Technical Services Inc.) and MapText, Inc. signed an agreement for TSI to resell MapText's high-quality cartographic text placement products, the companies announced . Recent successes of MapText software in the MapInfo market segment generated great interest from TSI, a long-time strategic partner of MapInfo Corp. and a reseller of MapInfo software.
Pictometry International Corp., the provider of digital, aerial oblique imagery and measuring software, and Hitachi Software Global Technology (HSGT), provider of automatic building change detection solutions, announced that Pictometry(r) will become the Master North American distributor for the Hitachi HouseDiff(r) service offering. Under terms of the agreement signed by the two companies, Pictometry will market and sell the Hitachi HouseDiff product as a complementary offering to its own Pictometry Professional (EFS) and Pictometry Change Analysis(tm) software systems.
Definiens AG, a provider of advanced image intelligence solutions, announced a collaboration with Pfizer Inc. for the global implementation of Definiens' eCognition Enterprise Image Intelligence Solution. Definiens will provide Pfizer with eCognition, a scalable, hyper-spectral, hardware independent platform for image analysis that can accommodate future innovations in imaging dyes and hardware. Under the terms of the agreement, Pfizer will gain access to all the features of the eCognition Enterprise Imaging Intelligence Solution along with maintenance, training and consulting services from Definiens.
Announcements
A new DVD transports viewers to the lush Gombe region of Tanzania, Africa, where they venture through the brush to learn about the complex work of Dr. Jane Goodall, Dame of the British Empire and UN Messenger of Peace. The DVD presents Dr. Goodall's inspiring keynote address from the 2005 ESRI International User Conference (UC) as she recounts her remarkable story from what first inspired her visit to Tanzania in 1960 to how geographic information system (GIS) technology became an integral part of her organization's work.
A limited number of Jane Goodall Special Edition DVDs are available for $20 plus tax, shipping, and handling. All proceeds directly benefit JGI. To order a copy, visit the ESRI Store.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has unveiled a new design of its earthquake website and a new Earthquake Notification Service (ENS). The redesigned website and ENS will help get earthquake information out to the public in a more timely fashion.
The USGS Earthquake Hazards Program website, is the primary method by which earthquake information is communicated to the public, while the ENS sends out earthquake alerts to subscribers via email. With the new system, users have more options in deciding which alerts they receive.
Ensuring stable water supplies has grown more complex as the challenges facing water managers continue to mount, especially in the West. Informed decisions of water users and public officials will be necessary to ensure sufficient freshwater resources in the future to support a growing population and economy. The USGS has released a report that examines Western water availability, the modern role for science, and the value of monitoring and research to ensure an adequate water supply for the Nation's future.
The report, Water Availability for the Western United States-- Key Scientific Challenges (Circular 1261), can be obtained by calling 1-888-ASK-USGS or viewed online here.
Financials
NAVTEQ Corporation, global provider of digital maps for vehicle navigation and location- based solutions, reported record revenue and operating income for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2005.
Revenue in the quarter rose 23% over the fourth quarter of 2004 to $146.0 million. Operating income grew 31% over the prior year to $41.6 million. Net income was up 79% to $27.7 million, compared to $15.4 million in the prior year's fourth quarter. Earnings per diluted share for the fourth quarter grew 75% to $0.29, compared to $0.17 in the prior year's quarter. See press release
Events
The online conference program and registration form are now available for the First Annual Geospatial Integration for Public Safety Conference (GIPSC) to be held April 10-12, 2006 in Nashville, Tennessee. The conference is jointly sponsored by URISA and NENA. Designed for 9-1-1 professionals, GIS professionals, addressing coordinators, incident management and emergency response specialists, GIPSC will provide a dynamic and interactive educational forum that addresses the challenges and opportunities of mapping and addressing in public safety and emergency management, while giving participants a guide to understanding the latest technology and resources.
For conference details and registration, visit URISA or NENA.
More than 200 mobile information professionals from the largest automobile manufacturers, wireless carriers, mobile electronics vendors, homeland defense and computer companies will meet March 2-3 for GPS-Wireless 2006 at the Marriott Hotel-San Francisco Airport.
The 10th annual conference, sponsored by Global Technology Communications Inc. (GTCI), features 40 speakers from the top companies.
People
LOC-AID Technologies Inc., a provider of location-based services (LBS) and innovator of end-to-end location aggregation, announced it has appointed David Allen as Vice President of Business Development, and Naomi Morita as Director of Strategic Partnerships. David and Naomi bring more than 40 years of combined experience in the telecommunications and wireless location industries to the LOC-AID management team.
New Products
ESRI, announced the release of ArcGIS 9.1 Business Analyst desktop analysis software with 2005/2010 demographic data. New features and data contained in ArcGIS 9.1 Business Analyst helps companies, agencies, and organizations perform accurate marketing analyses faster and more efficiently.
Trimble introduced two new products as part of its Connected Survey Site model -- the Trimble(R) R8 GNSS system and Trimble NetR5(TM) reference station receiver with added Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) capabilities. The positioning products, with Trimble R-Track(TM) technology, support GPS L2C and L5 signals as well as GLONASS adding greater flexibility and more robust signal tracking to provide a seamless and streamlined workflow for all of the critical phases of surveying.
Merrick & Company, a provider of LIDAR, digital ortho imaging, photogrammetry and GIS mapping announced the initial release of its free MARS Viewer at the International LIDAR Mapping Forum (ILMF) 2006. MARS Viewer is an intuitive, easy-to-use viewing application for LIDAR and associated terrain data. Designed as a lightweight visualization application, MARS Viewer allows users to view and navigate point cloud and surface models. ILMF 2006 will take place in Denver, Colorado on February 13 - 14, 2006 at the Grand Hyatt Denver Downtown.
Safe Software Inc. announced the release of SpatialDirect 2006, the most recent version of the company's spatial data distribution and transformation technology for the web. Based on innovative technology in Safe Software's Feature Manipulation Engine (FME®), SpatialDirect allows organizations to easily and efficiently deliver map data via the web, in many different formats and coordinate systems.
Blue Marble Geographics announces the release of their new Geographic Map File Translator Version 3.0 with Flex LM-based licensing. The full major update to their vector map file translation software is now available for purchase and download.
Laser-Scan is delighted to announce the further extension of its Air Mapping and Charting user community, following the purchase of the award winning Aeronautical Production System (APS) by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
With over 2500 customers and the desire to increase the number of products it delivers, the RAAF sought an application suite that would allow its existing team in Melbourne to meet this objective. Laser-Scan's APS suite delivers this capability through a number of Air Charting technology breakthroughs based on Laser-Scan's object orientated Gothic database:
|
- Temporal updates
- Ensuring data quality - Single continuous database |
Geoscape unveiled its 2006 geo-demographic database, which illustrates thousands of powerful facts from across the nation at micro and macro levels of geography. American Marketscape DataStream: 2006 Series (AMDS) features detailed records on all sectors of the American populace and consumer spending.
The AMDS 2006 Executive Summary Report is available here.
GenaWare, a Genasys company, announces the availability of GenaMap 9 Beta premiering new features that improve map visualization, speed application development, and implement industry standards for greater flexibility.
Ekahau Inc. announced that its Real Time Location System solution (RTLS) is ready for installations in underground mining and tunnel work sites to track the accurate location and movement of miners in real time. The Ekahau system is the only available technology on the market that can leverage any brand of existing Wi-Fi networks inside a mine to locate persons and emergency equipment, without the need for any proprietary hardware or system installations.
Around the Web
Internet Lions Turn Paper Tiger in China by Tom Zeller, Jr., February 6, 2006, The New York Times
NIST Defines Standards for Biometric Federal ID Cards by Stacy Lawrence, February 3, 2006 , Ziff Davis Internet - Eweek -- In October, the government will start issuing Personal Identity Verification cards to all federal employees and contractors. This week, the National Institute of Standards and Technology issued the final guidelines defining how biometrics should be stored on these identity cards.
Bush Administration Sees $25B in Wireless Sales by Jeremy Peloftsky, February 6, 2006, Reuters --The sale of U.S. wireless communications licenses are projected to raise about $25 billion between 2007 and 2009, $7.8 billion higher than last year's estimate, according President George W. Bush's 2007 budget released on Monday.
Upcoming Events
The International LIDAR Mapping Forum 2006 (ILMF)
Date: February 13 - 14, 2006
Place: Denver, CO USA
ILMF2006 Annual Meeting will be held February 13-14, 2006 in Denver, Colorado, U.S.A. Originally scheduled to be held in New Orleans, LA., the venue has been moved to Denver as a result of the catastrophic events of hurricane Katrina.