GIS Stack Exchange Blog (New)

The GIS Stack Exchange Community now has a GIS Blog for interesting topics and expansion of questions and events from http://gis.stackexchange.com/questions

If you are interested in GIS, Cartography,Web Mapping, Databases you can also join in and expand the knowledge sharing that answers questions quickly.

http://gis.blogoverflow.com/

GIS Community Blog

Welcome to the New GIS Blog Overflow, a new additional to GIS Stack Exchange Community

New content will be coming soon from community members from the GIS Stack Exchange.

Popular & reoccurring topics on GIS.SE, events related to GIS and the GIS.SE community with a random collection of posts by different authors will give a good wide cross-section of articles.

• Popular questions will be also expanded.
• Commercial and Open Source related GIS posts (includes beta software) are welcomed.
• Community GIS News and Events will also be included

Potential Blog Author?

If you have a post that you would like to be included please contact the moderator (Mapperz or mapperz@gmail.com) by leaving a comment on this blog post.

Many thanks to the community users input who have made this blog possible

http://meta.gis.stackexchange.com/questions/591/gis-stackexchange-blog

ABC Community Queensland Flood Map

Updated: 14/01/2011 6.10pm
The ABC has launched an interactive map of the Queensland flood. Please 'Submit a Report' about what's happening in your area. The map includes both verified and unverified reports. Please note, this is an experiment in gathering information from the community.


It works like this: you send us information, either by email (qldfloodsmap@gmail.com), text message or Twitter (simply use the #qldfloodsmap hashtag on your post) .

More Information
http://queenslandfloods.crowdmap.com/main

Map
http://queenslandfloods.crowdmap.com/


ESRI have also released "ESRI Australia - Brisbane City Council Flood COP - Situational Awareness Application"

http://www.esri.com/services/disaster-response/australia-flooding-map-2011/response-map.html

MAPme.com - A Community Based Mapping Project

MAPme.com - A Community Based Mapping Project


MAPme.com a social mapping site which allows everyone from travelers to special interest groups to create and contribute locations by suggesting 'Hotspots' and other information that other members of a map might be interested in.

Filters include 'weirdness' - in this case the 'Dancing Elvis Troupe' in Tokyo


These travel guides are community maps where other members can leave comments or photos or even submit their own locations. Usually, these suggestions will either be added directly to each map, or they go into a moderation queue assigned to the map owner (depending on the type of map).

"Each map is like a new post in a geographic forum”, says John McCann, who managed the development of the site. “We have given the map owners as much flexibility as they could ever need in terms of being able to moderate location data, but we've also allowed for options for public and personal maps – public maps are generally a free for all, and personal maps are for mostly private use".

Global Development
The development of the MAPME project took around 6 months, and was achieved on a shoestring budget by outsourcing work to all corners of the globe. Programmers working in the UK, Philippines, The Russian Federation and Australia patched together the MAPME application using open source software including the CAKE rapid development framework and of course the Google Maps API


Complexness
According to Robin Metcalfe- the lead developer of the project, the most complex undertaking was getting the permissions system right, and working out how to allow users to effectively explore a map that might have 500 or 500,000 markers. “We don't have a map with 500, or even 5000 Hotspots on it yet, but I think our system can handle it”.

Community Mapping
While community mapping is relatively new concept and something that hasn't really taken the online world by storm (yet), MAPme.com is also excellent for creating travel or city guides that are useful in their own right. Take for example this guide to Cebu, in the Philippines;

http://www.mapme.com/map/cebu

Future Applications
Apparently a Facebook Application, and Map Widget (built in Flash) are on the way, but for the time being map in can be exported in GPX format (easily transferable to portable GPS devices) or by KML. You can even keep an eye on any map activity by subscribing to the RSS channel for each guide.

MAPme is a great looking new site in the ilk of Flagr.com and Platial.com but on a global scale which is easier to use and better to look at. With the addition of an exportable map widget, this could easily be the best web 2.0 community mapping site on the net.

Map your World at http://www.mapme.com

Overall there is a lot of content already and subject matter that might call for some over 18's certification but on the whole the site works well with the sense of being part of a geo-community mapping project.

Grand Theft Auto IV - Map

Grand Theft Auto IV - Map


Powered by Google Maps API, there is a community collection of 'points of interest' to help you through the game.

"Liberty City Map- See what's been discovered by Liberty City locals! Check the categories on the right to show markers for just about any person, place or thing in Liberty City. First to find something? Right click on the map location and choose "Add Marker" to share your original discovery"

http://grandtheftauto.ign.com/maps/1/Liberty-City-Map

There are also other Maps ranging from Neighbourhood Maps, Stunt Maps to Armour Maps.
http://grandtheftauto.ign.com/wiki/Liberty_City_Map_Image_Collection

The first game to be in full High Definition. So when are HD Maps coming??
Make sure your using a HDMI cable or its not going to be full HD.

Updating Maps, on the Fly with TomTom Map Share™

Updating Maps, on the Fly with TomTom Map Share™
A Web 2.0 Solution?

"Map Share™ is a proprietary map improvement technology unique to TomTom, which enables users to easily and instantly improve maps. TomTom users can respond in real time to changes in the road network and correct the maps on their TomTom devices accordingly. Thanks to the smart user interface, it is easy to make improvements, such as blocked or unblocked streets, reversed one way traffic or new street names, which will instantly take effect."
(The TomTom satellite navigation community has over 10 million users.)


Featured:TomTom GO 720
Image Source: TomTom

But how many will actually use the updating software?

The MapShare software will be released for older TomTom GPS units