Jason Miller recently commented on how wb developers can expect to start sharing the profits as developers continue to launch google mash-ups, particularly for commercial services.. real estate apps are a great case in point. If history holds true, I would have to say that I agree. Remember mom or dad telling you how nothing inn life is free… think about it. Google has provided the free API to developers and they have embraced it.. ofcourse google will likely crank up the cash register once things start getting heated up. Think about google adwords and use this as an example. As a”beta” test so to speak, I’ve had google adwords and have used the google pay for ads service as well. The trend over the last year has been for google to charge me more to have my little text ad show up on websites and in google search pages and on the flip side, the commission I receive for serving up google adwords on webpages that I maintain has totally tanked. Using pretty much the same parameters, I now receive about .20 cents on the dollar in revenues commpared to 8 months ago, and I’m shelling out 2x or 3x more to have my ads displayed. You think the Map API will remain totally open and free to use.. think again. Developers will enjoy the “open” technology, however, you real estate agents relying on mashups tfor your business, expect the tab to go up.
Archives for October 2005
Ning social network developer community tools
Ning has provided a very interesting API and social networking environment at http://www.ning.com/ that enables users to create their own social networking space. The app is useful for creating a blog or community networking space for things like clubs, community listings, classified ads or ??
Oracle to release Free, Open Database
This according to cnet… The database heavyweight on Tuesday is expected to announce the beta release of Oracle 10g Express Edition (Oracle Database XE), which will be generally available by the end of the year. It is targeted at students, small organizations and software vendors that could embed the Oracle database with an application. See http://news.com.com/Oracle+to+offer+free+database/2100-1012_3-5920796.html?part=rss&tag=5920796&subj=news
New ArcGIS Explorer to support WMS and KML
ESRI’s newest viewing client, ArcExplorer is reported to be prepared for release in early 2006. Users can pan,zoom, rotate (Globes), and integrate data and servies from ArcGIS clients, WMS services, and even Google Earth KMLs. Rather interesting as Google never really had any intention (as far as I have heard) of making KML a data standard, however, it appears that the likes of ESRI, FME, and others are now making KML an important data standard to be supported. More on this free 2D and 3D viewer available from ESRI at http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcgisexplorer/index.html
RFID Passports on track for 2006
In addition to all people wanting to enter the US to possess a valid pasport, the Government is going one step further in tracking citizens… this time RFID implants are the solution. According to cnet, “The chipped passports “will not permit ‘tracking’ of individuals,” the department said. “It will only permit governmental authorities to know that an individual has arrived at a port of entry” See more at http://news.com.com/Passports+to+get+RFID+chip+implants/2100-7348_3-5913644.html?tag=nefd.lede
USGS employees question the move
Headlines today read as follows… Denver USGS employees question Siderelis’s motives – This from the “Rolla Daily News”… An internal USGS committee will be assigned to review the decision to consolidate the mapping program in Denver. Recall the USGS announced in mid-September plans to locate the National Geospatial Technical Operations Center in Denver, Colo., closing centers in Rolla, Reston, Va., and Menlo Park, Calif. See http://www.therolladailynews.com/articles/2005/10/27/news/doc435fe5c9a6af0436317066.txt
National Geospatial Technical Operations Center (NGTOC) Move to Denver on hold
In a memo from USGS acting Director Leahy, the following details concerning the National Geospatial Technical Operations Center were released in a memo… “Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Mark Limbaugh has requested that the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) put a hold on the implementation to locate the National Geospatial Technical Operations Center (NGTOC) at the Denver Federal Center in Lakewood, Colorado. Assistant Secretary Limbaugh directed a review of the decision process in light of questions raised about that process. Therefore, I am directing that no further actions be taken to implement the location decision and the A-76 competitive sourcing study pending the outcome of this review. See http://www.usgs.gov
Rolla petitions residents to keep USGS
Rolla residents have been asked to sign-up in an effort to help keep the USGS offices local. This from the Rolla Daily News… “I encourage you to sign a petition being circulated by the Meramec Regional Planning Commission at the request of U.S. Sens. Christopher S. “Kit” Bond and Jim Talent and 8th District U.S. Rep. Joan Emerson, whose district includes Phelps County.” Note, 187 people are currently employed by the USGS in Rolla and the debate still continues as to where the offices will go in the latest efforts of the USGS to consolidate their business. See http://www.therolladailynews.com/articles/2005/10/21/news/doc435807a5b93ae978766776.txt
Yahoo! Buys WhereOn Earth
Yahoo! today announced the signing of a definitive agreement for the acquisition of Whereonearth Limited, a UK software company that specialises in local search and advertising technology. For additional details on today’s announcement, please visit the Yahoo! Search Blog at http://www.ysearchblog.com/. This from Bassel Ojjeh… “Whereonearth’s very talented team of software engineers and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) experts have worked hard to develop sophisticated technology that contains a unique combination of global data and software algorithms that make local search possible. Together, we’ll be able to provide the most geo-relevant information across all of Yahoo!’s products and services.”
More Real Estate Apps getting into GIS and Geospatial webmapping thanks to Google Map API
I’ve always known that in the business world, Real Estate was going to really take hold of GIS and geospatial and run with it.. think about it.. everything about real estate is based on geography and there’s likely no better use for GIS than in Real estate apps (both for the front end and the back-end). Blue Fire Group Inc. launched the myMappingBuddy The “mapping buddy” is built on the Google Map open API. See http://www.mymappingbuddy.com/services.shtml