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What is GIS?

What is GIS?. Geographical information systems. Okay to leave now? No! Two parts to the definition…. You signed up for the course -. What does GIS suggest to you? Who might use a GIS (and why)?. Some textbook definitions.

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What is GIS?

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  1. What is GIS? CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  2. Geographical information systems • Okay to leave now? • No! • Two parts to the definition… CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  3. You signed up for the course - • What does GIS suggest to you? • Who might use a GIS (and why)? CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  4. Some textbook definitions “A powerful set of tools for collecting, storing, retrieving at will, transforming and displaying spatial data from the real world.” Burroughs 1986 (Principles of Geographical Information Systems for Land Resources Assessment) CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  5. Some textbook definitions ”A decision support system involving the integration of spatially referenced data in a problem solving environment.”Cowen 1988 (Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing 54:1551-4) CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  6. Some textbook definitions ”Any manual or computer based set of procedures used to store and manipulate geographically referenced data.” Aronoff 1989 (Geographic Information Systems: a Management Perspective) CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  7. Some textbook definitions ”An information system that is designed to work with data referenced by spatial or geographic coordinates. In other words, a GIS is both a database system with specific capabilities for spatially-referenced data, as well as a set of operations for working with the data.” Estes & Star (in Clarke 2001, Getting Started with Geographic Information Systems) CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  8. Some textbook definitions ”A special case of information systems where the database consists of observations on spatially distributed features, activities or events, which are definable in space as points, lines, and areas, to retrieve data for ad hoc queries and analyses.” Dueker (in Clarke 2001, Getting Started with Geographic Information Systems) CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  9. What do these definitions have in common? CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  10. Here’s what we think … • A GIS is a special type of database, designed to be used with spatially or geographically-referenced objects (features, processes, or events) CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  11. Here’s what we think … • A GIS is a special type of database, designed to be used with spatially or geographically-referenced objects (features, processes, or events) • A GIS contains operations or tools for working with spatial data. These tools include typical database operations (sorting, selecting, querying, etc.) plus specifically geographic operations (setting and changing scales and projections, etc.) CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  12. Here’s what we think … • A GIS is a special type of database, designed to be used with spatially or geographically-referenced objects (features, processes, or events) • A GIS contains operations or tools for working with spatial data. These tools include typical database operations (sorting, selecting, querying, etc.) as well as operations specific to geographic issues (setting and changing scales and projections, etc.) • A GIS serves a wide variety of purposes, centering on the storage, display, and analysis of spatial data. CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  13. Two things that a GIS isn’t* • A computerized map-drawing (cartographic) system GISs often display their data and analyses by means of maps, but they are themselves much more than just the map. * But is often confused with CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  14. Two things that a GIS isn’t* • A GPS (Global Positioning System) Both the U. S. & Russia operate satellite systems that can provide ground coordinates to a hand-held unit, but the coordinates, without other data, don’t constitute a GIS. (Why not?) * But is often confused with CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  15. The class mascot Name ??? Useful information? CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  16. A Real-life GIS CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  17. Looks like just a map? CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  18. Look at “tool bar” at left CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  19. Use the Zoom tool CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  20. Where’s SBU? CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  21. How to find our mascot? CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  22. Add Hydrant layer… CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  23. It still looks like just a map CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  24. But let’s use the Identify tool CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  25. Here’s the database CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  26. What could you use this for? CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  27. And now for someone completely different… A "Modern?" GIS? CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  28. MCI What is it? CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  29. What is MCI? • Telecommunications company? • Initials of Michael C. Irving? • 1101 in Roman Numerals? • The Medial Carry Interrupt instruction in assembly language? • Without context, you can’t tell! CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  30. An Important Hierarchy • DATA – the bits and bytes that we ask a computer system to store • INFORMATION – Data put into context (see previous example) • KNOWLEDGE – Information applied to real world situations CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

  31. Components of a GIS • Computer Systems and Software • Spatial Data • Data Management and Analysis Procedures • People CS 128/ES 228 - Lecture 1a

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