This is an abnormally long version of our ‘batch geonews’ edition, covering the news since the holiday break.
On the open source & open data front:
- This entry discusses the new geocoding client API in GDAL/OGR
- Good news, QGIS gets built-in Oracle support, along with New QGIS PDF and HTML manuals and New QGIS Symbol Packages
- James informs us on the GeoPackage Comment Period is Open, GeoPackage what? Read this previous entry named OGC Draft GeoPackage Specification – Finally the Shapefile Format Replacement?
- James is also enthusiastic about D3.js for its map visualization capabilities
- More in the useful chaining Rendering Transformations in GeoServer
- In case you missed the press releases, GeoTools 8.5 released and GeoServer 2.2.3 released
- Freely available course named Java Open Source GIS Development – From the building block to extending an existing GIS application
- Here’s an entry on using PgRouting with Mapserver
On the Esri front:
In the miscellaneous category:
- It’s really the end now, mission accomplished, Landsat 5 will be decommissioned (via VS)
- Follow this link if you have an interest in 30+ years of LAI and FAPAR data for Your research use
- Microsoft shares an entry on Getting started with Bing Maps Windows Store Apps
- Here’s an interesting top 10, Top 10 Spatial Law and Policy Stories from 2012
- DM shares an article named Intergraph Retools, Revamps Entire Geospatial Product Suite
- Beidou, aka as Compass, China’s GNSS, is now available for Commercial Use in Asia
- O’Reilly discusses the inevitability of smart dust, where geospatial-aware sensors are to be found everywhere
- Here’s geospatial studies of atmospheric lead as a dangerous pollutant
- Here’s a funny xkcd cartoon on ‘simplifying’ map directions
A bunch of minor geo-related stories discussed over Slashdot:
- Nice use of drones: Drone Photos Lead to Indictment For Texas Polluters
- Also on drones: Researchers Seek to Use Drones For Brushfire Forecasting
- A real-time map of those bushfires was up: Australia Is On So Much Fire, You Can See It From Orbit
- Remote sensing satellites in jeopardy thanks to the fiscal cliff: Going Off the Fiscal Cliff Could Mean Missing the Next Hurricane Sandy
- Slashdot just discovered OpenFlights, which we mentioned years ago: Visualizing Personal Flight Data With OpenFlights.org
- Benefits and inconveniences of being tracked: Disney Wants To Track You With RFID
- Also on RFID: Texas High School Student Loses Lawsuit Challenging RFID Tracking Requirement and Texas State Rep. Files 2 Bills To Ban RFID In Schools
In the maps category:
- Pretty interesting map, one that more or less works both upside down and… upside up! (screenshot below)
