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On => On-Demand Mapping . .

(With a few words on Real-Time Mapping and Interactive Mapping)

On-Demand Mapping is an embryonic concept, resulting from

1. The increase in power and speed of global data networking and transfer capabilities,
2. The increase in power and speed of inexpensive computers accessible to laboratories, and even homes, and
3. The increase in sophistication of data users, who often want different flavors of processed data than are currently supplied by data centers. These users are (because of #1 and #2 just above) now able to produce their own flavors of such data. They prefer their own data compilation/processing, as they can get the latest flavors of compilation/processing (where a data center may have settled on its flavor 10 years ago..). The user can also customize the processing, so that compromises that ultimately invade most such processing favor, rather than partially sacrifice, their own detailed needs.

All the new sophisticated user needs is source data, processing techniques, and enough savvy/information to help select the source data combinations and compilation/processing techniques to employ.

With on-demand mapping:

• As techniques advance, the user is given updated processing techniques.
• If a variety of approaches is available, this variety would be made accessible to the user.
• The user is empowered with the latest choice in processing techniques (rather than what was used some time previously by a database developer/supplier.)
• In many cases, the source data and processing methods may often be downloaded more conveniently from source archives than are fully re-processed data.
• Although current technology would place a heavy workload on the user, successful implementation of on-demand mapping may actually ease the user's task, as much post-processing currently needed to adapt data to user requirements would be eliminated.

On-Demand Mapping has technological cousins in "Real-Time Mapping," sometimes called "Interactive Mapping." These terms describe mapping done by the user at the time of interest in the specific map. These terms emphasize the immediacy and user interaction with data and processing methods, whereas On-Demand Mapping emphasizes user-selection of mapping techniques and source data. The differences in meaning are slight, semantic, but real.

Here are some sites on the World Wide Web that discuss different aspects of On-Demand Mapping (including Interactive Mapping):

• The U. S. Bureau of the Census provides interactive access to Data Maps.
• The U. S. Bureau of the Census also provides interactive creation and access to maps based on their data with the WWW Thematic Mapping System. Create your own map! Interact with maps created by other users!
• Find the nearest Automated Teller Machine (ATM) for your VISA card, "anywhere in the world" here.
• Make, even customize, maps of anywhere in the world here. This site is still evolving, not all parts of the world are covered in maximum detail yet, as of the data of preparation of this page. If you join the service, you get your own work-page, where you can enter and save your own information. This is a good example of interactive mapping. Since you can enter your own information (after a fashion), this can also be considered a version of On-Demand Mapping. Indeed, reports hold that MapQuest can use the information you enter to guide their own future developments and use of their site.
• Pick your subdivision and new home here.
• Interactive use of GRASS is available at the REGIS site at the University of California at Berkeley, and at Purdue University.
• Make your own temperature maps at NOAA's National Climatic Data Center.
• The Xerox PARC Map Viewer.
• The Great Lakes Regional Environmental Information System Map Server, maintained by the Consortium for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN).
• A live demonstration of the Feature Manipulation Engine (FME), which lets you select map elements, and produce/receive the resultant map in various graphics or GIS formats, hosted by Safe Software, Inc.
• An interactive routing program for Minneapolis, a Java application hosted by the Spatial Database Laboratory, Computer Science Department, University of Minnesota.
• View (zoom, etc.) historic maps of the USA at the Library of Congress.

Here are some personal lists of links to other sites hosting Interactive Mapping:

• A list entitled "Web GIS: Toy or Tool Resource List" maintained by Bill Thoen of GISNet.
• A list of interesting links prepared by Steve Slatcher.
• A list of WWW-based map sources, including interactive maps, maintained by Mark MacLennan of the University of Iowa.
• A collection of links to Database Query and Map Generation via the WWW, maintained by Kenneth Duda at Michigan State University.

Submit your favorite definition of On-Demand Mapping or related WWWeb-based mapping systems! Send us your favorite link to discussion on On-Demand/Interactive Mapping! Comments are welcome: