Open Source Maps
Some more members of the OSGeo project got up on stage this morning to tell us about the latest developments in open source software libraries for mapping. Specifically, these are the libraries that are being used for data processing on the backend of map generation.
Mark Lucas gave us an overview of OSSIM, the Open Source Software Image Map library (pronounced “Awesome”) for generating map images. OSSIM is basically a library of rendering algorithms and code that map applications can run to create detailed photo-realistic maps. OSSIM has the ability to generate maps in just about any size, color and format you can imagine. It also offers image processing functions for sharpening object outlines, removing atmospheric haze in satellite photos, adding false-color details and the like. Awesome, indeed.
Next, Frank Warmerdam talked about OSGeo’s Goespatial Data Abstraction Library. GDAL (pronounced “Goodal”) is a library that dozens of map services (GRASS, the Virtual Terrain Project and Google Earth among them) are currently using to create digital maps. GDAL/OGR is written in C++, so it’s totally portable and runs on any platform. There’s also an open API for web services. Many of the map mashups or map creation services you encounter on the web are being powered by GDAL.
