The paradigm of geographic information systems (GISs) is shifting from a closed, centralized GIS architecture, to an open, distributed geographic information services (GIServices) framework. With advances in computer networking and wireless communication technology, GIS is moving toward an integration of GIServices and spatial analysis functions via the internet and wireless communication. Wire...

Mapping of diseases has, since John Snow produced his famous cholera maps of London in 1854, been recognised as an essential tool in public health. A Geographical Information System (GIS) is more than mapping diseases: it manages, analyses and presents data that are linked to geographical locations. GIS enables creation of maps and can present data on national and regional level, but also on ve...

The early optimism surrounding GIS has now faded. Few GIS implementations have lived up to expectation. The most successful have been those at the operational level where their main role has been to replace paper maps with digital ones. However, as the cost of GIS implementation falls and spatial data becomes more readily available there is a need to consider the future of GIS and spatial analy...

Does critical theory have a place in GIS? While the answer today is "yes," and some stable ground around its understanding has been created, "critical GIS" remains an oxymoron for many GIS users and critical social theorists. Since 1968, the year in which Roger Tomlinson for the first time referred to GIS in designating the Ganadian Geographic Information System, GIS has become a multibillion-d...

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have increased its popularity for some time now, specially in the context of mobile devices. There are many disciplines and companies improving their workflow by using GIS on devices with geolocation features. To satisfy the emergent demand, lots of web-based GIS applications are being developed. These applications diverge in their target and context, but th...

An epistemological and discursive divide separates critics of GIS and its researchers. An assumption exists among many users and developers of GIS that the technology models reality and can thus be used to predict and explain spatial processes. This realist position is not sanctioned by social science critics of GIS who have focused efforts on illustrating the social effects of technology as we...

As society becomes increasingly spatially enabled, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) will evolve, and geographical information will be embedded in most information applications and services that society uses. This trend presents many opportunities and challenges. It means GIS technologies will facilitate ‘more’ by becoming ‘less’. As the general use of GIS increases, the visible appearance...

Introduction Since early ’90 GIS has become a sophisticated system for maintaining and analysing spatial and semantic information on spatial objects. The need for 3D information is rapidly increasing. 2D GIS analysis have shown its limitations in some situations, e.g. noise prediction models (noise spreads out in three dimensions) (Kluijver and Stoter, 2003), water flood models, air pollution m...