Writing at
CMSWatch (that's content management system watch), analyst Theresa Regli asks that question. She notes the flurry of geo-mashups and explains what MetaCarta offers. Her conclusion:
While this is surely a growing piece of the 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle that is Enterprise Content Management, there's not necessarily a practical business application for the geo-web in your enterprise. Don't be too quick to be dazzled by the demo; after all, do you really need your CMS to tell you where the local pizza joints are? MetaCarta claims that 74% of documents on the Internet are "geo-relevant," or plottable on a map. Is the same true of the content in your enterprise? Will plotting your documents geographically add value to the experience, or enable you to manage or find content more effectively? Perhaps, but as with any software that may look cool on the surface, be sure to assess your real business needs before you invest.
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Well, duh.
MetaCarta's enterprise customers typically find that key parts of their operational content are 100% geographic. That is, the documents refer to many places and plotting that text on maps is so relevant to their business that they call it a 'game changer.'
The combination of keyword searching and zooming a map is particularly appealing to people who are already thinking geographically, such as town governments or environmental scientists.
Is it right for every activity? No. But when it is right, it is really right.