… Thank God!
Denis Wood, 2003
… Long live the map makers.
Ed Parson, 2008

The ‚map stack‘
Server
Web
Browser UI
Server
Tile
Tile Cache
Map Server
Application
Server
Geospatial Data
http://www.alistapart.com/articles/
takecontrolofyourmaps

The ‚map stack‘
Server
Web
Browser UI
Server
Tile
Tile Cache
Map Server
Application
Server
Geospatial Data

The ‚map stack‘
Server
Web
Browser UI
Server
Tile
Tile Cache
Map Server
Application
Server
Geospatial Data
Source: Microsoft Virtual Earth SDK

The ‚map stack‘
Server
Web
Browser UI
Server
Tile
Tile Cache
Map Server
Application
Server
Geospatial Data

The ‚map stack‘
Types of web
Server
Web
Browser UI
mapping services
proprietary
Server
Tile
Tile Cache
open source
commercial
Map Server
Application
Server
Geospatial Data

Proprietary web
mapping services
Server
Web
Browser UI
Server
Tile
Tile Cache
Map Server
Application
Server
Geospatial Data

Proprietary web
mapping services
How to add data
Server
Web
Browser UI
Gadgets
API
KML, GeoRSS, …
Server
Tile
Tile Cache
Image overlays
Own tiles
+
Map Server
Application
Server
Geospatial Data

Proprietary web
mapping services
Why using them?
Server
Web
Browser UI
quick setup
API
intuitive interface
Server
Tile
Tile Cache
accessible by everybody
with an internet browser
availability of a huge
Map Server
Application
amount of geo data
Server
many thousands of
servers
Geospatial Data

Proprietary web
mapping services
Limitations
Server
Web
Browser UI
pre‐rendered map tiles
API
no access on vector data
Server
Tile
or 3rd dimension
Tile Cache
Mercator projection
limitations according to
Map Server
Application
API options
Server
licensing issues
Geospatial Data

A cartographer‘s
options
comparing tiles of
different vendors
optimizing overlay quality
using region functionality
for scale dependent results
optimizing data and user
interface for user needs

Basic cartographic
issues A cartographer‘s
options
What’s the purpose of
the map? comparing tiles of
different vendors
Who is the user?
optimizing overlay quality
Readability
using region functionality
Visual Hierarchy
for scale dependent results
…
optimizing data and user
interface for user needs

Open source web mapping services
Server
Web
Open Layers, Modest Maps
Browser UI
Server
Tile
Er, Tile Cache
Tile Cache
UMN MapServer
Map Server
Application
Server
Geospatial Data OpenStreetMap Data

Why using them?
creating own map tiles
and/or map tiles from
proprietary vendors
programming own
functionalities
data on own servers
http://www.sander-partner.ch/be/en/Nawa/index.html
vector functionality
offline‐ and intranet
usage possible
http://chicago.everyblock.com

Limitations
more complex setup
more programming
limited server capacities
http://www.sander-partner.ch/be/en/Nawa/index.html
http://chicago.everyblock.com

Conclusions
Web mapping services are not only tools for
non‐expert map makers
Cartographic principles can also be applied in
geobrowsers
A good knowledge of available tools is important to
pick the right solution for a certain use case

BUT: Cartographers should actively
contribute their ideas and principles to
the world of web mapping.