This document discusses web-based GIS and virtual globes. It begins by defining web-based GIS as using the web to disseminate and process geographic information and present results. Virtual globes are 3D software models of the earth that allow users to freely navigate. The history of web-based GIS is then outlined, along with examples like Google Earth. The document notes that web-based GIS and virtual globes can advance science by allowing overlay of data and custom applications. Examples of how these tools may impact daily life are finding hotels and viewing real-time weather. The document concludes by speculating on further potential benefits in areas like home shopping, data exploration, and comparing human behavior patterns.

1. Web-based GIS and virtual globes
Zhaoying Wei
1. Definition and explanation of Web-based GIS
Web-based GIS refers to the use of the World Wide Web as a means of
disseminating and processing geographic information, and presenting the result.
[1]
This technique democratizes GIS. Maps and spatial analysis results can be
published and viewed by the readers on the Web. With its development, not only
data are shared, information-processing functions are also shared and distributed
over the Internet.
A virtual globe, a product of Web-based GIS, is a 3D software model or
representation of the earth or another world. [2]
A virtual globe provides the users
with the ability to freely move around in the virtual environment by changing the
viewing angle and position. Virtual globes have the additional capability of
representing many different views on the surface of the Earth. These views may
be of geographical features, man-made features such as roads and buildings, or
abstract representations of demographic quantities such as population.
2. Overview and history of Web-based GIS
The history of Web-based GIS can be traced back to the development of the
Xerox Map Viewer in 1994 (Putz 1994). The Xerox Map Viewer used a Web
Browser via HTML format and Common Gateway Interface (CGI) programs to
provide interactive mapping functions via the Internet. The technical framework of

2. the Map Viewer was followed by many early on-line GIServices applications. [3]
Another important research project was the Alexandria Digital Library Project
(Buttenfield and Goodchild 1996; Frew et al. 1998), which explored
comprehensive services for online spatial queries, map browsing, and metadata
indexing. Besides the development of academic research, the GIS industry is
also developing several software packages to provide online mapping functions,
such as ESRI’s ArcIMS (Internet Map Server), INTERGRAPH’s GeoMedia Web
Map, AutoDesk’s MapGuide, and GE SmallWorld’s Internet Application Server. In
early 2005, the combination of two new technologies, Asynchronous JavaScript
and XML (AJAX) and image tiling improved the performance of Web-based GIS
significantly. Until these advancements, the limitations of traditional Web-based
GIS applications were in the size of image data and client/server communication.
AJAX and image tiling allowed retrieving only the data needed by user’s request
to the web server. So the total amount of images or data interchanged between
the client browser and web server decreased significantly. AJAX also made it
realized that the user’s interaction with the application can happen
asynchronously. [maps.search.ch] and [maps.google.com] are the two early
examples of Web-based GIS applications which adopt both AJAX and tiling
techniques together. [4]
With the development of Web-based GIS, a new and evolving geospatial web
emerged. Multiple virtual globes such as Google Earth and NASA's World Wind,
have emerged and are positioned to proceed as the gateway to the geospatial
Web. On November 20, 1997, Microsoft released a popular offline virtual globe in

3. the form of Encarta Virtual Globe 98, followed by Cosmi’s 3D World Atlas in
1999. The first widely publicized online virtual globes were NASA World Wind
(released in mid-2004) and Google Earth (mid-2005). The latest 3D Virtual Globe
release in 2011 is 3rd Planet. According to different purposes, the design of
virtual globes varies considerably.
3. The importance of Web-based GIS and virtual globes in
advancing science and discovering knowledge
In recent years, most popular GIS applications are referred to as Web-based GIS
applications (Milosavljević et al, 2005). Web-based GIS applications are used by
most users because most of them while working with spatial data need only to
review the data. Nowadays, Web-based GIS applications have thick clients that
implement a large part of the functionality. These solutions are based on the
usage of data from various sources and their combining, querying, processing,
displaying and changing. [5]
Virtual globes are rapidly becoming an easy and accessible way of finding,
distributing and visualizing all sorts of data in a geographical context. The
amazing thing about virtual globes not only lies in the excellent visualization, but
also in the capabilities which allow you fly along in three-dimensions. [6]
Another
important feature of virtual globes is that various scientific data can be displayed
overlaying multiple satellite images. People can even add and edit various
applications beyond the original functions of virtual globes if it is an Open-source
Project, such as World Wind and Google Earth.
4. An example of how Web-based GIS may affect daily life

4. The improvements of Web-based GIS attract more people to start to use it and
have transformed the way people live, work, and behave. Take a simple example
of finding a hotel close to a particular resort. Thanks to Web-based GIS, the cost
and labor associate with the query can be reduced. I don’t need to find data for
the road networks, and separate data for hotel locations, and purchase a
complete GIS software program that is capable of conducting a network analysis
with the shortest path-finding function. Furthermore the next time I want to plan
other trips, the old data may not be valid as road network and hotel information
may have already changed. In a Web-based environment, however, I only need
to search for Web sites that provide these kinds of services. Since the Internet
services link the data with the data sources, the data are always up to date. Web-
based GIS would allow users to be more productive in applying Web-based GIS
technologies in actual application rather than spending valuable time in operating
the software and collecting the data.
The emergence of virtual globes further extends the revolution of GIS
techniques. For example, real-time weather information can now be displayed in
Google Earth alongside the landmarks and routes in which the general public are
interested. People can use Google Earth to search: “Can I have enough time to
arrive home before the rain if I take this route?” “Is the tornado near my house?”
5. My idea and speculation
Web-based GIS still has great potential to benefit our daily life. For example, the
visualization and analysis of data helps us when we shop for a home. We can
access the data of crime rate, unemployment rate, and type of business nearby

5. etc. in a neighborhood using services offered online. With the combination of all
these data we can effectively evaluate the neighborhood. We can also mark and
share favourite antique shops or delicious restaurants with our friends. Web-
based GIS could also dramatically improve the efficiency of exploring quantitative
data for companies. For example, if one can simultaneously visualize the data
and the predictions from models, the areas where the data agree or disagree
with the model will jump out. Furthermore, by incorporating time series images,
we can easily compare human behavior in different time intervals. For instance,
we want to compare the number of consumers in one particular shopping mall in
day and night on weekends so users can choose a better time for him or her to
shop to avoid waiting a long time when checking out. With web-based GIS and
virtual globe, everyone can make their own customized geographical
applications.

6. References:
[1]. Zhong-Ren Peng, Ming-hsiang Tsou. 2003. Internet GIS:
distributed geographic information services for the Internet And
Wireless Networks.
[2]. Wikipedia. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_globe>.
[3]. Yoon-Seop Chang. 2006. XML Web Service-based development
model for Internet GIS applications. International Journal of
Geographical information Science, Volume 20, Issue 4, 2006
[4]. Ming-hsiang Tsou. 2005. Recent development in Internet GIS.
GISdevelopment.net.
[5]. The web-wide world. 2006. Nature. Vol 439, 16 February 2006.
[6]. Suzana Dragice. 2004. The potential of Web-based GIS. Jornal of
Geographic Systems, Volume 6, Number 2, 79-91, DOI:
10.1007/s10109-004-0133-4