An Open Political and Business Agreement to Underscore the Importance

[摘要] In early 2001, Internet users were able to view various locations in Germany from a birdseye view and simultaneously be provided with related address details and other demographic, geographic and economic information. This gave rise to new opportunities for the Internet and business. And it began with a highly accurate geographic database and a project that was initiated in 1999. A more in depth view of this innovative business initiative reveals some deeper implications and results. Not only was it bringing together GIS and information technology. It was bringing together government and private industry. It was bringing together a community interested in leveraging government’s investments with technological advances, into the creation of new markers for businesses. It was highlighting the value of geographic and location information in free enterprise. This seemingly modest step has since led to the creation of an open partnership that can take this local effort, global. Globalization itself is a fact of life today, and merely a matter of time. Through a diverse and unique partnership that included governments from two continents and countries, technology vendors, a nonprofit institute and FGDC, it was decided that this project could be used as a cornerstone to raise the awareness of and advance the concept of the Global Spatial Data Infrastructure (GSDI), which is beginning to enable communities and organizations at the local, national and global levels to readily share geographic information and services across a rapidly growing telecommunications network. This partnership is an open one, and seeks to raise awareness at various political and business levels of the sheer value of accurate geographic information that can be accessed and utilized for decision support and business growth. It utilizes a phased and pragmatic approach that involves sharing experiences, transferring technology and knowledge, and communicating policies. The approach is based on the premise that we think big, start small and scale quicklyfrom local to global. CONTACT Preetha Pulusani, President Intergraph Mapping & GIS Solution Huntsville, AL 35824 USA