Monday, November 23. 2009

Apps.gov Prices for Google API: Nearly $1million

Ever wonder how much Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are worth? John Foley took a look at Apps.gov to find out.

Google's Maps API comes in at just under $1 million. It's available from Onix Networking for $966,448. That covers unlimited site traffic for Web applications that make use of the API, plus support from Onix Networking, an IT vendor that resells Google products (Google Apps, Google Earth, Enterprise Search, Maps, and more), as well as wares from other tech vendors.

Onix offers the API under a few different licenses. He suggests that the offer is for the Premier version (the standard versoin of the API, for many purposes, is free). The Premiere version "comes with advanced geocoding, encryption, control over advertising, an SLA, and other features designed for large users." Foley asks the obvious question: "whether the feds are getting a good deal, an OK deal, or overpaying for the Google Maps API."

ESRI's offerings were announced to be on the site via a press release this week. The various data and geoprocessing tools offered by ESRI (results of search) top out at $266.

You can also buy tech from Microsoft, FortiusOne (via Carahsoft), and Salesforce.com (via Carasoft).

- InformationWeek

Thursday, November 19. 2009

Oregon Data Portal Opens

Phase One of the The Oregon Spatial Data Library was launched in November 18 for GIS Day. "The Oregon Spatial Data Library provides easy and convenient ways to find, access and share geospatial data."

It's all ESRI-based, including an ArcGIS Server viewer. Strangely, the basemap that appears has "For Official Use Only" stamped on it. I could not find out why. You can download data (it's actually e-mailed to you) in many formats (MIF, shapefile, E00, KML, GML, GeoJSON, DWG) from the download page, but the viewer only exports bitmaps from what I can tell.

- press release (Note to PR people: this release has not made it to any news sites yet!)

Tuesday, November 17. 2009

Geo Soft Launch Central

Last week USGS made public its new viewer for The National Map (TMN). It's build on NGA's Palanterra 3. I'm confused by the site which says: "Beta URL not ready for wide-distribution until stability testing is completed prior to the end of the calendar year." Thus, I'll not include the URL. Another concern: there's no form to submit suggestions after you test it out. I did contact USGS; I was encouraged to note the upcoming features that are planned (you'll find them noted on the site...) and to stress that it's beta. Expect big news on Dec 3, when USGS celebrates the 125th anniversary of the national mapping program.

Today ESRI soft launched a GIS wiki at wiki.gis.com. A tweet prompted Caitlin at GIS Lounge to explore it. Perhaps it will be formally announced on GIS Day? (Wednesday)

Wednesday, November 11. 2009

LINZ Interested in Public/Private Data Options

Land information minister Maurice Williamson and Land Information NZ (LINZ) chief executive Colin MacDonald noted being open to working with private companies to secure data for the citizenry of New Zealand. In one exercise, all the attendees at the ESRI NZ user conference were asked to stand, then to sit if they didn't want to cooperate with LINZ. Reportedly, just one person sat.

Also interesting, private company Critchlow Ltd, Director Steve Critchlow noted his willingness to make some of his IP available.

"If it's on the right terms" Critchlow Ltd would be prepared to transfer some of its intellectual property to government, says Steve Critchlow.

Critchelow himself was there as he chairs the Spatial Industries Business Association of NZ and was as I understand it, invited to speak on a panel. Stuff.co.nz reports: "ESRI and Critchlow Ltd are competitors so no Critchlow staff attended the bulk of the conference."

- Stuff.co.nz

New ESRI Viewer to Play With

Check out #ESRI #Geoportal #Flex Data #Finder Widget: http://geoss.esri.com/geoviewer - supports AGS, ArcIMS, WMS & GeoRSS.

@martenhogeweg

I didn't have much luck running it in Safari - could not zoom in...and could not figure out how to clear a search. (The help is not yet implemented.)

Friday, November 6. 2009

ESRI Keywords: Authoritative Data, Generic Services

Wyatt Kash, editor in chief at Government Computer News was on the questioning side of the latest interviewwith ESRI's Jack Dangermond.

Dangermond highlights the differences between Google Earth-based Virtual Alabama and ESRI-based Virginia Interoperability Picture for Emergency Response, VIPER. The former copies data to central repository for visualization while the latter is built on a services framework that pulls live data and analyzes it. He recounts the history of online mapping (it started wtih MapQuest). He evaluates how Vivek Kundra is doing and lays out his vision for Web GIS.

A few things stand out in this interview:

- many repeated uses of the terms "authoritative data" and "generic services"
- discussion of a hosting option for ArcGIS online which provides "users additional options to extend their systems"
- a reference to the recent integration of data.gov and geodata.gov (I don't think I was aware of that)

- Government Computer News