GeoRSS and KML - new standards for geographic information systems
As more and more different geographic services appear on the Internet, the importance of adopting common standards for the transmission of geographic information increases. Old GIS standards are hardly used here.
For example, if a web service plans to provide access to its database by API, which standard should be used? For example, the social service Upcoming.com (joint organizer) chose a simple GeoRSS format for this purpose. However, there are other applicants for the role of a single standard for the transfer of geographic data.
Similar protocols are needed so that different web services can exchange information with each other. Then it becomes possible to create “hybrid” services created as a mixture (mashup) of information from different sources. For example, dozens of such “hybrids” are created on the basis of Google Earth, and Google only encourages developers who pull information out of its database through software interfaces. Google has developed the KML (Keyhole Markup Language) format for exporting geographical coordinates.
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KML is similar to GeoRSS, but has many additional “bells and whistles”, such as transferring camera tilt angles, styles, and other visualization functions.
In addition to KML and GeoRSS, there are other standards. For example, the Open Geospatial Consortium has developed its own GML format, which is in many ways similar to KML, but it is even more functional and complex.
The OGC consortium has also developed several additional standards, the main ones being WFS (Web Feature Service) and WMS (Web Mapping Service). For example, the mapping program NASA Worldwind uses the WMS format for importing images, and in the future they also plan to implement support for WFS.
NASA Worldwind is the only one among all geoplatforms (Google Earth, Google Maps, Yahoo Maps, Virtual Earth, etc.) where OGC standards are implemented. However, there are ways to convert Google Earth data to WMS format. There are services that implement the compatibility of Google Maps with OGC standards.
The WFS and WMS formats are generally recognized in the professional community of geo-information systems (GIS) developers, therefore their importance cannot be overestimated. Very many traditional GIS systems support these formats.
Not all existing GIS standards are listed here. Obviously, various developers, including Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Autodesk and others, must combine their efforts and come, finally, to a certain uniform standard.
For example, if a web service plans to provide access to its database by API, which standard should be used? For example, the social service Upcoming.com (joint organizer) chose a simple GeoRSS format for this purpose. However, there are other applicants for the role of a single standard for the transfer of geographic data.
Similar protocols are needed so that different web services can exchange information with each other. Then it becomes possible to create “hybrid” services created as a mixture (mashup) of information from different sources. For example, dozens of such “hybrids” are created on the basis of Google Earth, and Google only encourages developers who pull information out of its database through software interfaces. Google has developed the KML (Keyhole Markup Language) format for exporting geographical coordinates.
')
KML is similar to GeoRSS, but has many additional “bells and whistles”, such as transferring camera tilt angles, styles, and other visualization functions.
In addition to KML and GeoRSS, there are other standards. For example, the Open Geospatial Consortium has developed its own GML format, which is in many ways similar to KML, but it is even more functional and complex.
The OGC consortium has also developed several additional standards, the main ones being WFS (Web Feature Service) and WMS (Web Mapping Service). For example, the mapping program NASA Worldwind uses the WMS format for importing images, and in the future they also plan to implement support for WFS.
NASA Worldwind is the only one among all geoplatforms (Google Earth, Google Maps, Yahoo Maps, Virtual Earth, etc.) where OGC standards are implemented. However, there are ways to convert Google Earth data to WMS format. There are services that implement the compatibility of Google Maps with OGC standards.
The WFS and WMS formats are generally recognized in the professional community of geo-information systems (GIS) developers, therefore their importance cannot be overestimated. Very many traditional GIS systems support these formats.
Not all existing GIS standards are listed here. Obviously, various developers, including Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Autodesk and others, must combine their efforts and come, finally, to a certain uniform standard.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/4039/
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