Text 3. Components of gis

GIS components are: hardware, software, data, methods and people.

Hardware

GIS relies on a computer for storage and processing of data. The size of the computing system will depend on the type and nature of GIS. A small scale GIS will only need a small personal computer to run on, while a large enterprise uses a wide system with larger computers and a host of client machines to support multiple users.

Software

At a core of any GIS system lies the GIS software itself providing the functionality to store, manage, link, query and analyze geographic data. In addition to the core GIS software various other software components can be added to provide access to additional sources of data and forms of functionality.

Data

Data for GIS comes in two forms: geographic or spatial data, and attribute or a spatial data. Spatial data are data that contain an explicit geographic location in the form of a set of coordinates. Attribute data are descriptive sets of data that contain various information relevant to a particular location, e.g. depth, height, sales figures, etc. and can be linked to a particular location by means of an identifier, e.g. address, pin code, etc. Sources of spatial data include paper maps, charts, and drawings scanned or digitized into the system. Digital files are imported from CAD or other graphics systems. Coordinate data are recorded using a GPS receiver and data are captured from satellite imagery or aerial photography.

Methods

GIS systems are designed and developed to aid the data management and decision support processes of an organization. The operation of any organization is based on a set of practices and business logic unique to that organization. While some organizations may use GIS on an ad-hoc basis with each user formulating their own standards of work and methods of analysis others define their business logic into GIS to streamline certain aspects of their operations. So the methodology applied is another factor for success of any GIS project.

People

The system users - those who will use the GIS to solve spatial problems - are most often people who are well trained in GIS, perhaps in a specific application of GIS. System operators are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the system, more often performing tasks that allow the system users to function efficiently.

GIS suppliers are responsible for providing software support and updates of the software as new and improved methods are put into the system. The data supplier could be either private or public. The private company may provide internally generated data or data obtained from public agencies modified to better fit needs expressed by the user community. Public agencies, primarily governmental agencies, provide data for large portions of the country. Application developers are generally trained programmers who will provide user interface to reduce the reliance on specialized GIS professionals to perform common tasks. GIS systems analysts specialize in the study of systems design.

Exercise 16. Look through the words and try to remember their meaning:

storage —збереження to analyze —аналізувати

enterprise —підприємство to contain —вміщати

acces —доступ to define —визначати

core —ядро, центр, серце to solve —вирішувати

attribute data —специфічні дані to perform —виконувати

spatial data —просторові дані to provide —забезпечувати

drawings —креслення to reduce —зменшувати

charts —схеми to specialize —спеціалізуватися

digital files —цифрові файли to rely —довіряти

processing —обробка to streamline —модернізувати

needs —потреби to update —модернізувати

responsible —відповідальний relevant to —відносно до

analysts —аналітики programmers —програмісти

Exercise 17. Answer the following questions:

1. How many components does GIS consist of?

2. What does hardware stand for?

3. What does software stand for?

4. What forms do data for a GIS come in?

5. What do you know about geographic data?

6. What can you tell about attribute data?

7. What do descriptive sets of data contain?

8. What methods and practices do various organizations use?

9. What categories of users can you define people using GIS?

Exercise 18. Translate the following word combination:

geographic location, sales figures, various information, paper maps, particular location, scanned drawings, spatial data, satellite imagery, aerial photography, decision support processes, spatial problems, software support, improved methods, system users, digital files, data supplier, large portions, generated data, application developers, graphics systems, data management, specific application, governmental agencies, coordinate data, computing system, large computers, additional sources, software components, small scale, wide system, large enterprise.

Exercise 19. Look through the following verb forms and define the tense, write the infinitive of the verb:

are trained, provide, applied, was based, define, is linked, comes, contain, will depend, were added, has included, are designed, will be developed, was analyzing, relies, is supporting, had imported.

Exercise 20. Put verbs in the brackets in the correct form:

1. GIS _____ (to describe) a world in terms of longitudes and latitudes and other projection systems.

2. The national level planning in the country is broad based and ______ (to do) using some macro level data like area, gross domestic product etc.

3. Geographical Information System (GIS) ______ (to become) more widely used in transportation planning agencies, especially among metropolitan transportation organizations.

4. The ability of most GIS software to provide many basic transportation models and algorithms ______ (to be) useful in specific situations.

5. GIS ______ (to be) a powerful tool in the analysis and design of transport routing networks.

6. GIS applications ______ (to expect) in pavement management, traffic engineering, planning and research, bridge maintenance and field office support.

7. This ability of GIS, along with the final presentation of results on a digital base map, ______ (to allow) the user a better perception of the problem, enable better decisions, and allow a better understanding.

8. The typical GIS ________ (to represent) the world as a map.

9. Public agencies, primarily governmental agencies, _____ (to provide) data for large portions of the country.

10. GIS systems _______ (to design) and (to develop) to aid the data management and decision support processes of an organization.

Exercise 21. Change the following sentences into Passive:

1. The topological information available in GIS database opens the new ways for analyzing the transportation related data for different purposes.

2. The road network at GIS platform will provide a framework for the development of disaster management system of any kind.

3. The functionality of existing GIS-T software constrains choice of the spatial database and the transportation modes.

4. The thematic maps show the attributes of selected features using a variety of symbols and colors.

5. GIS technology provides the core framework for an integrated highway information system.

6. The surface modeling function created a three-dimensional model of land forms or other surface features.

7. These regional base maps will provide the framework for identifying and monitoring congestion from a regional perspective.

8. Design software imported the topographic map from the GIS.

9. The union of two base maps displays all the features of both maps.

10. The measurement function determines the length of lines and the area of polygons.

Exercise 22. Read and translate the text.