GeoSocial Consumer Application
This technology abstracts the work of interpreting the server interface, constructing workflows, and executing them by serving JavaScript executable code from each server that will run on clients, such as hand-held devices, and accomplish the retrieval, processing, and mash-up of data without the need for the user to be a senior programmer.
GeoSocial Consumer Application Goals
Distribution of large raster files is very problematic for low-bandwidth or other disadvantages users on mobile platforms. Current OpenGeoSpatial standards are too low level and require too much software expertise to be used by the majority of end-users. In the proposed technology, distribution of the data is done using a very compact vector format and a high level API, which is provided to abstract out the low level interfaces and provide end-users with links to follow rather than web services to interface with. This architecture is a Product-oriented architecture, as opposed to a service-oriented architecture. End users only request relevant products in their area of interest. Publishers then fulfill that need and offer products as actionable information rather than providing services that could potentially make those products. This is a huge advantage to users, who do not need to know how to generate the products but can rather get a product in near real-time to easily visualize and share with friends on social networks.
Project Goals
Provide an API framework that enables users to easily discover, visualize and share earth science data and products in near real-time.
Functional Goals
Access GEOSS disaster-related products and visualizes the results. It also allows the sharing of products on social networks.
Evolvability Goals
This technology leverages open source capabilities that are freely available. The open source community is giving away basic capabilities while selling services for individualized instances. This approach is becoming the software industry standard practice as they move away from totally proprietary implementations. By demonstrating a product publishing value chain that leverages these open source offerings, we believe that this will incentivize third party companies to develop new products based on user needs and provide them for a fee or pay as a service (PaaS).
Usability Goals
Users with no software capability should be able to use the software.
Software Packages
This
software is released under the terms and conditions of the Apache License, Version 2.0.
Apache License (PDF)
GeoSocial Consumer Application Software Package