[Freegis-list] Cooperative mapping project proposal

[Brett Matson]

Hi Everyone,

I am an undergraduate engineering student currently working
on my final year thesis at the Australian National University.
I have decided to attempt a project that involves setting up
a web-enabled GIS that will enable people to contribute their
own spatial data obtained from a GPS receiver. The aim is to
establish a user-driven effort to map the world (or at least
parts of it). The result will be free, digital thematic maps
containing geographic and temporal data on any land features
that people care to map. This may include natural landmarks,
cities or even McDonalds restaurants in your local area. The
justification for this project may be as simple as having
some fun but their may be other more significant reasons that
arise after further consideration.

Clearly a project such as this will have many issues relating
to both technology and system security. Matters such as
tagging data with the author to facilitate removing data that
is found to be non-genuine have been considered. I’m hoping
to get some opinions on how such a project would be received
by the GIS/GPS community and any advice you may have on how
it could be done.

After having done some initial research, I have decided that
the best way to set this system up would be to use the OpenMap
package with a Link Layer to display ESRI shape files. The
ShapeLib library could then be used to add GPS data to the
existing map via a CGI program. Meta-data would be stored
in PostgreSQL database.

Any questions, comments or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Brett Matson