Open Source GIS
The growing acceptance of Open Source Software especially for GIS applications has been around for the past decade. This has been contributory efforts of universities and government laboratories to develop Open Source GIS. According to Richard M. Stallman open source means: (1)The freedom to run the program, for any purpose. (2) The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs. (3)The freedom to redistribute copies. (4)The freedom to improve the program, and release improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits. Open source GIS is receiving popularity in academic institutions and there are wide array of GIS software that have followed the Open Source concepts. In some cases, Open source GIS software provides equally the same accuracy and outputs as proprietary GIS software. The future already holds mix feelings for both proprietary and open source GIS software, but regardless, a blend of the two will continue to suffice in the future.
Decision Support Systems
A Decision Support System is a computer-based information system that supports policy and decision making in natural resources management. The system supports decision making processes at management and operational levels. The blending of GIS and Earth Observation capabilities greatly enhances the potential of real-time accurate decision making in modelling and forecasting environmental phenomena. Over the last decade, many DSSs have been developed by various institutions and organisations around the world to provide solutions to diverse problems and challenges in the areas of water management, environmental pollution, transportation congestions and many more. The growing 3D modelling visualisation capability of computing age, provides a further enhancement of DSSs in the near future. Refer to pages on "Weblinks" for information and continue to visit this page for updates.
Public Participatory GIS
Public Participation GIS evolved to address the need of non-practicisioners of GIS to gain access to geospatial information. The emphasis of PPGIS has been how best to repackage complex geospatial information for the benefit of communities that in many times have no previous knowledge of GIS or remote sensing. This new bottom up approach towards community engagement in mapping exercise is seen as the best option for better information communities inthe areas of climate change, resolution of land disputes and many others. As professionals and community members dialogue through this participation methodology, both scientific and indigenous knowledge are shared between the two parties. In some way, PPGIS promotes better understanding of GIS applications and further boosts the morale of communities to accept the project results of such works.
Web GIS
Web GIS is the dynamic process of displaying the results of GIS via the World Wide Web. This easily provides users with the possibility of performing simple queries and downloading relevant information. This field of GIS is growing very fast and sooner we might see the transformation of Desktop GIS into mostly Web-based. For instance, most institutions are transforming their desktop based Decision Support Systems via the World Wide Web.
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