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The management of traditional knowledge in India has come through successive stages. These stages include not only the adoption of technology but also the creation of social awareness. It is obvious that the Indian traditional knowledge is embedded both in scientific as well as non-scientific terms. Ironically, both terms are embedded in the life-world of the Indians. This paper traces traditional indigenous knowledge management in terms of the structure of traditional knowledge, its delivery system, its selective application and utilization, the reactions from competing groups, and ultimately the technological issues in democratizing the knowledge system.

One of the most useful and readily available technologies to aid emergency managers is the geographic information system (GIS). The potential usefulness of GIS is indicated by many of the papers presented in this conference. This paper will discuss two of the authors' experiences with a GIS in combination with simulation models, and will present an overview of other GIS applications.

GIS technology is now being applied to the economic development process at local, regional, and state levels of government. Most of the existing systems have utilized the analytical capabilities of GIS to locate suitable sites for various types of development. A computer system recently developed by Georgia Tech and Georgia Power uses GIS technology in a new way: as an interactive-visualization and decision-support tool designed to directly support business location decision-makers. The development of such presentation systems, along with the more traditional analytical systems, raises important policy implications of concept transferability, appropriate organizational structures, and the potential savings to be achieved by the rational targeting of future infrastructure finance.

本論文は, 都市計画の合理化に資することを目的に, システム分析的都市計画の重要性を示し, その実現方法について議論したものである. 具体的には, 都市計画における地理情報システム (GIS) 利用の意義を踏まえ, これを要素とした総合的な都市計画支援システムの全体構成を明かにし, これを数理的最適化手法, 知識工学, CAD等の技術を駆使して実現する方法, 及びそれに基づくシステム構築の具体的な事例について述べている.

The relatively slow development of Geographic Information Systems/Land Information Systems (GIS/LIS) in Hungary can be explained by a lower-level computer environment, but the lack of sufficient knowledge in computer technology, especially on spatial information systems of decisionmakers and end-users is the main barrier. Being aware of this situation, one of the most important task in the field of geoinformatics is education. A nation-wide Technology Transfer Centre (TTC) was founded in Hungary in September, 1992. The first project of the TTC's GIS Department is the Hungarian adaptation of the National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA) Core Curriculum. The wellknown and most commonly used in the world GIS curriculum gives a general overview of GIS, and consists of the minimal, most important knowledge necessary to apply GIS as a problem solving tool. The main concept of this educational project is the development of lecture notes on GIS/LIS, in order to satisfy the basic needs for specialized secondary education and introductory courses of higher education. The materials have been designed for people who are going to use GIS/LIS technologies in their profession, and have no real previous experience in this field. The paper draws a draft background (political, institutional, financial, and educational changes, mainly through the example of the Technical University of Budapest), summarizes the sources, the main aims of the project, and the present status of development.

As Geographical Information System (GIS) databases have become progressively larger and more complex, and increasingly unconstrained by traditional geographical boundaries, data management and quality have emerged as critical issues in GIS projects. GIS technology can be considered a table‐top on which data are compiled, considered, manipulated and located. With reference to the development of a geographic database for a loosely defined sub‐region of the South East of England—the East Thames Corridor—the problems associated with obtaining data of an appropriate standard from within the institutional framework of local government, and the data quality problems inherent in the development of an integrated database are considered.

GIS is now a leading tool in the development and application of contemporary urban and regional research for planning purposes. Current developments in GIS are geared largely towards improving the technical functionality of GIS as a tool for storage, processing, integration and representation of spatial data. There is also a vast range of planning applications. In the past, many planners and public officials believed that computer technology would provide a technological solution to complex and difficult issues of public policy. The hope for a quick technological fix appears to have once again raised expectations beyond what is realistically possible, especially given the existing capabilities of microcomputer-based systems. This is particularly true for GIS packages that are designed primarily to meet the needs of resource and facilities management. Planning tasks including analysis, projection, and evaluation have proved difficult to automate and so remain outside the scope of a typical GIS. This paper focuses on the application of GIS to land use change analysis. A number of existing applications and solutions are reviewed. In particular, the problem of integrating remotely sensed data with other data models in GIS for planning purposes is explored. Theoretically, remotely sensed images are ideally suited to consistent, accurate, and up-to-date land use change evaluations. Unfortunately, the current techniques and commercially available systems are not entirely satisfactory. The paper therefore examines and evaluates existing approaches and suggests possible solutions and a further research agenda for improving the integration and analysis process.

Usefulness and applicability of GIS for regional development planning studies of GIS are discussed with specific reference to two project case studies in developing countries involving large spatial databases. GIS was applied in a water resources master plan study of Kenya for determining land suitability for crops, and for determining areas of groundwater availability. In another regional planning study in Northeast Thailand, GIS was used for land use planning and for environmental planning. It was determined that the powerful inherent capacity of GIS as a Information Management Tool resulted in considerable savings of man-months. Display and manipulation of large spatial databases is also greatly facilitated by a GIS based approach which by conventional methods would have been difficult and very time consuming. The use of GIS for analysis also resulted in the evolution of a valuable digital natural resource database of immense value for planners in the concerned developing countries for future use and updating. For the development of a GIS, parameters such as the scale of base maps and detail of information input into the database were determined to be more important than the choice of computer hardware and software. Interaction among domain experts and the GIS expert as well as educating domain experts about GIS is very important for successful GIS implementation. Training and technology transfer issues need to be considered at an early stage when use of GIS itself is being considered.

This paper is dedicated to the development of data protection strategy of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The strategies of data protection for various types of GIS were observed. Some of them: personal GIS for mass using, personal desktop GIS and online (Internet) GIS.

Web GIS is becoming the developing hotpot for GIS With the development of Internet technology .Geographical Information System (GIS) is an information system which stores analyzes and visually express spatial data . WebGIS can Provide not only simple text and data , but also graphics and images to more and more people. WebGIS is the outcome of Internet development and information sharing . However, many traditional GIS software adopts file-based data organization, which only publishes GIS data less. The technology of publishing mass vector and image database would be restricted . It is necessary to take the proper syncretizing among such technologies as Web, software engineering, programming languages, database and GIS functions into account and consider how to provide a simple and convenient application mode to client. In This paper the author first discuss the model about the data-memory, organizing and the data publishing, then research the design model and the realize model of the Web GIS based on J2EE. Analyse the work principle , merit , demerit and the realizing method of the constitutes of Web GIS, i.e. the structure of three layers.

GIS(Geographic Information System) is an emerging technology which forms along with the information technology development, and has become a hot of scientific research. As an important component part of the information industry, the pillar industry in 21th's century, GIS Industry greatly affects national comprehensive capability and defense safety. Its application domain is also unceasingly expanding more importantly. After introducing the concept of GIS and relevant knowledge, this paper emphatically introduces the development history of GIS and the present industry situation in China.

Available information and analytical models are often critical to making scientific decisions for site-specific crop management. Expert, or domain knowledge, is an intelligent source that also helps this process. This paper discusses the integration of domain knowledge and modelling in site-specific crop management decision making. A web-based spatial decision support system, GZ-IGIS, was developed and implemented to integrate domain knowledge and GIS analytical models to assist field-based crop management decision making. In addition to general GIS spatial data management (digital map, spatial decision unit, etc.), the system, GZ-IGIS, involves crop diagnosis and decision-making with expert knowledge and GIS analytical models to assess variable-rate application of water and fertilizer to any field. The paper also discusses the knowledge acquisition and representation, model organization, and the integration of domain knowledge and GIS analytical models. Spatial suitability of domain knowledge and analytical models were emphasized in the system because field's microclimate diversity in different sub-regions exists. When proper layers of knowledge and models become available, implementing variable-rate water, or fertilizer applications allows farmers make reliable site-specific crop management decisions.

This paper starts to investigate GIS professional market, summarizes the demand departments and characteristics of GIS professional, and classifies GIS professional according to market demand. It also analyzes the knowledge structure and ability and quality which GIS professional should have, and probes into the application-oriented training scheme of GIS professional from three aspects of curriculum system, education resources construction and distinctive practice program, trying to provide a new mode for GIS professional training.

Geographical Information Sciences (GIS) in China have made great progress in recent years, and the Geographical Information Industry also developed well. But the public are still lack of knowledge about GIS, and they don't know exactly how GIS could facilitate their life and work. So there still is a long road for the socialization and popularization of GIS. Firstly this paper analyzed the status quo of GIS industry these years, pointed out the constraints and shortage for GIS' socialization and popularization. Based on the experience learning theory and circumstances learning of constructivism, this paper proposes the general framework of constructing GIS scientific experience area. The objective of constructing GIS scientific experience area is to provide the public necessary knowledge about GIS and promote socialization and popularization by supplying GIS experience to public. It tries to boost sciential discovery by experiencing and make the users to obtain some GIS spatial analysis knowledge, enhance the users' practical ability, and forming thinking pattern of GIS spatial analysis. Take the application of site decision as an example; this paper developed a series of case from the easy to difficult levels, focusing on the GIS learning experience, application and site decision. These applications vividly show the principles and methods of GIS spatial analysis. These case experiences included a digital interactive platform for the teenagers using GIS techniques such as RIA (Rich Internet Application) and open-source WebGIS and so on. From the effects of it works, GIS scientific experience area could provide the users plentiful GIS experience, which would be helpful to promote GIS knowledge for public, especially for teenagers, and promote GIS socialization of application for further development. Finally, this paper discusses the limitations in the GIS learning experience area, and put forward several suggestions to improve and develop the GIS learning experience zone.

A major characteristic of the diffusion and adoption of GIS technology in Botswana is localised arrangement of resources in different government agencies. After the first enthusiasm shown in late 80’s, and practical results achieved in the middle 90’s, the utilization of GIS systems at national level has been substantially reduced. GIS has not been utilized in decision -making process. Advances in information technology evolved faster than the institutional and organisational capacities of different GIS users and the ability to absorb them. In the absence of critical user mass, an efficient institutional and organisational setting is for the future implementation of GIS technology is under serious threat. Current efforts to establish the National Spatial Data Infrastructure will also be highly dependent on “human factors” in the stage of its implementation. This article gives a brief guideline for GIS decision makers on how to improve GIS diffusion based on human and organisational factors. Keywords: Geographical Information Systems - GIS, Human, Organizational, information technology – IT, GIS diffusion

Human communities have always generated, refined and passed on knowledge from generation to generation. Such “traditional” knowledge” is often an important part of their cultural identities. Traditional knowledge encompasses the beliefs, knowledge, practices, innovations, arts, spirituality, and other forms of cultural experience and expression that belong to indigenous communities worldwide. Since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, intellectual property has been considered a fundamental human right of all people. Only recently, however, has the need to protect, preserve and provide for the fair use of indigenous intellectual property ‘traditional knowledge’ entered the domestic and international debate on intellectual property rights. Non-indigenous groups, such as corporations, have been exploiting the traditional knowledge that has been developed by indigenous beings over centuries. However, the international community has sought to recognize and protect such traditional knowledge. Many developing countries, holders of traditional knowledge, and campaigning organizations are pressing in a multitude of fora for traditional knowledge to be better protected. Such pressure has led, for example, to the creation of an Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore in WIPO. Such knowledge and folklore is also being discussed within the framework of the CBD and in other international organizations such as UNCTAD, WHO, FAO and UNESCO. In addition, the Doha WTO Ministerial Declaration highlighted the need for further work in the TRIPS Council on protecting traditional knowledge.

There is increasing recognition that personal, organisational and institutional factors are likely to have a profound influence on the extent to which the potential of geographic information systems (GIS) will be realised in practice. One of the most important groups of users of GIS is local government. It is generally assumed that the costs of equipment and data preparation combined with the capacity of GIS to integrate data sets from a wide variety of sources makes the development of departmental systems inappropriate. As a result, the implementation of GIS is likely to be accompanied by an extension of corporate activities which could have important implications for existing practices in local government. However, as yet, little systematic analysis has been undertaken which evaluates the underlying assumptions concerning the process of implementing GIS. With these considerations in mind, this paper outlines the conceptual framework and methodology for a project currently underway in Britain, which is exploring the relationship between the organisational context into which GIS are being introduced and the development of corporate practices in local government.

Local government is one of the most important groups of users of geographical information systems (GIS). The significant interest amongst users and the varied demands to be made of GIS have stimulated discussion in many countries. This article presents some of the findings of a research project which is currently exploring the impact of GIS on British local government. The discussion examines the results of a comprehensive survey of all 514 local authorities in Great Britain. These findings provide an overview of GIS adoption in relation to type of local authority and geographical location. Particular attention is focused on the type of systems which have been adopted, the take-up of GIS over time, the software and hardware being utilized and the perceived benefits and problems associated with GIS. The results demonstrate that take-up has been most pronounced in the larger authorities, particularly in the southern part of Great Britain, with the most popular combination of equipment being Arc/Inf...

The paper presents the findings of research into the implementation and use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Italian local authority planning departments. The first part provides contextual information and available data on the diffusion of GIS in Italian local government. This is followed by a discussion of two detailed case-studies undertaken in cities already having 10 years experience in GIS development and use. Based on the findings of these case-studies, and on the earlier evidence presented, the paper suggests that the view of GIS as a “tool” for more rational decision-making, and increased efficiency and effectiveness, may be particularly inappropriate in countries in which these values do not receive high priority. Instead, GIS appears to be a malleable resource able to serve different agendas, through both its technical and symbolic use. In this context, the view of computing as a “package” appears to be useful in explaining some of the characteristics of the cases investigated. Three sets of factors are confirmed as having an important influence on the implementation and use of GIS: the organizational context, people, and environmental stability. In addition, the paper argues that a fourth element, cultural values, plays an important part in shaping the implementation and use of GIS in a given context, and that its significance may be crucial in understanding the experiences of GIS in different countries even when technical solutions are similar.

Current geographical information systems (GIS) include functions to create cartographic output interactively or automatically. However, none of the systems presently incorporates mechanisms to ensure correct application of graphic functions. Many of today's users of GIS are not trained in the design and production of graphics and may create maps that confuse or mislead map users. Poorly-designed maps may obliterate the patterns in displayed information. This article investigates ways to improve the quality of GIS graphical displays and increase their effectiveness for decision-making. Alternatives are presented for improving map design in GIS, ranging from non-technical efforts to enhancement of software functionality. Suggestions propose augmenting users' abilities to create maps in an automated environment, using an approach termed amplified intelligence: key decisions default explicitly to users, whose knowledge is amplified by a range of high-level tools to carry out map design operations aut...

Computerized information processing is profoundly altering, even revolutionizing, the potential for planning and decision support resulting in greatly increased demand for professionals with the knowledge and skills to use this new technology, especially its expression in geographic information systems (GIS). Drawing upon the authors' experience in teaching GIS to planners, this article proposes a strategy for staffing the planning side of the GIS revolution. It speculates about reasons for lag in introducing GIS in planning schools, describes the potential for use of GIS tools in planning, and presents a case study of the introduction of GIS into the curriculum at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Geographic information system (GIS) is a kind of computer systems which can collect storage, manage, analyze, display and use the spatial data. After being developed for about 30 years, GIS has become a new fast-growing industry in China. Range of applications is extended from the initial resource management and land-use planning to almost all areas related to spatial information, such as business, national defense, telecommunications, education, engineering, environment, government, health, resources, transportation, etc. The vigorous development of GIS technology in the 21st century has made new demands on GIS teaching and the training of GIS talents. Based on the investigation of the status of professional training at home and abroad, this paper analyze the problems of GIS education in china and the social and economic demands on qualified talents in GIS field, and propose the scheme of curriculum design and practical teaching system on GIS professionals to meet the social multi-level needs.

GIS plays an irreplaceable role in the e-government information management systems and has been widely applied in the economic, national defense and social sustainable government departments. This paper presents a unified framework of the e- government GIS information platform based on the J2EE and web service technology to create an interoperable, distributed web mapping system. The e-government GIS web service defines a set of functions that clients may use to interact with the GIS servers. The client can interact with the servers through the related GIS web service. The platform can be integrated into other e-government systems for the spatial related information visualization through the Web GIS service. The e-government information that contained the geo-referenced data can be visualized with GIS distribution maps. The experiments show that the proposed GIS platform could plays an important role in e-government for spatial information management, broadcasting, data management, statistical analysis, and decision supporting.

During last ten years there is significant convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and geographic information systems (GIS). Artificial intelligence provides sophisticated techniques for GIS projects while GIS is a powerful technology with the vast data sets and wide scope of applications for AI. Although there is increasing amount of scientific publications treating AI in GIS, the general concept of both research and applied goals is still missing. The paper comments relationships between artificial intelligence and geographic information systems critically. Two AI methods widely used in GIS – artificial neural networks and fuzzy logic - are mainly discussed. The author summarize current situation in related common topics of AI and GIS and identify further step and directions for research in geographic information science.

Spatial relation theory is one of the hottest research topics in the GIS circle both at home and abroad. This research intends to analyze relevant research findings over the past more than a decade and latest academic development to point out major problems and inadequacy in existing researches, focusing on the topological relations and uncertainty in GIS to engage in a systematic investigation. This research discusses the present situation of the overall GIS field, the development of GIS, and features of the present development of GIS technology. It also investigates and analyzes relevant issues, such as the uncertainty in topological relations which is caused by the inaccuracy of, and uncertainty in, GIS spatial data, spatial reasoning, spatial searching, spatial-searching language, image segmentation, the theoretical development of topological relations, the trend of GIS development, and the problems in the development of GIS in the 21 st century. The "egg-yolk model" is formulated. The "egg" is the maximum range of the fuzzy target while the "yolk" is the minimum range of the fuzzy target and the "white" is the scope of the uncertainty.

Geographic information systems (GIS) are used by a wide variety of practitioners to help them solve a broad range of spatially-based problems. In this chapter, we focus on the ways in which GIS can be of utility to economic development practitioners who are charged with the task of developing local economies. We begin by defining local economic development (LED). We then report on the extent to which GIS is used by economic development professionals. This is followed by examples of the application of GIS in economic development work. Specifically, we examine the use of GIS in five areas – economic impact analysis, spatial policymaking, identifying potential cluster regions, identifying critical social relationships, and web-based GIS. We conclude the chapter with a few summary statements.

Qualitative geographic information systems (GIS) is a term representing diverse attempts to integrate qualitative data into existing GIS programs. Three common approaches are identified in the literature: (1) qualitative research projects that benefit from the data analysis and geographical representation strengths of GIS; (2) quantitative projects using GIS that benefit from the contextualizing and explanatory strengths of incorporating some qualitative research and data; and (3) research projects that were planned from the start using mixed methods, integrating the strengths of various methods, and allowing them to complement, contradict, or confirm each other. Because of these characteristics, qualitative GIS projects are particularly important in research focused on context, processes, relations, and explanation for why phenomena happen where they do. Qualitative GIS is also well suited to participatory and critical social research in which disempowered social groups construct alternate ‘truths’ to counter-map on the mainstream status quo. Rapid technology advances are fostering ever-quicker combinations of spatially referenced data with other forms and sources of information and different software systems are increasingly becoming compatible, all of which generate new possibilities and practices for integrating qualitative data and GIS.

Distribution system’s management was based on the management of point, line, surface objection on the area. There were figure data and attribution data in this management which form GIS with special space in-fighting. The paper adopted SuperMap2000 and VB as developing tools, explored designing scheme, developing process and overall function designing of rural power enterprises' distribution system GIS.

Technologies such as geographic information systems (GIS) enable geospatial information to be captured, updated, integrated, and mapped easily and economically. These technologies create both opportunities and challenges for achieving wider and more effective use of geospatial information in stimulating and sustaining sustainable development through smart policy making. This chapter proposes a simple and accessible conceptual knowledge discovery interface that can be used as a tool to accomplish that. In addition, it addresses some issues that might make this knowledge infrastructure stimulate sustainable development with emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa.

Until recently, there was not much connection between feminism and cartography or GIS (geographic information science and/or system) but today they are increasingly intertwined. The meaning and purpose of mapping have significantly changed in recent decades due to several reasons. For example, the mapping process has become computerized, virtually all spatial information is now digital, and GIS has emerged as essential when working with spatial data. At the same time, women have increased their visibility and presence in science and technologies. Feminist scholarship, too, has made a profound impact on social science and geography and has come to inform and influence the fields of cartography and GIS. This article discusses the changing relationship of cartography and GIS and presents major feminist critiques of these fields. After examining the undervalued contribution of women to both cartography and GIS, the article focuses on an ongoing engagement of feminism with GIS and practices of mapping. This engagement includes reclaiming the power of vision, creating a range of feminist cartographies, and the broader impacts of geospatial technologies on women's daily lives.

A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computer-based system for managing and processing geospatial data. GIS has been an important tool in science, government agencies, private agencies and the public since the 1960s. To make GIS more usable and useful to GIS users, the GIS community has paid increasing attention to GIS interfaces. This paper provides an individual level analysis of influence and impact relationship between GIS users and GIS interfaces based on the level analysis framework developed by Korpela et al. The analysis results show that, on one hand, different physical and mental characteristics of the end GIS users have influenced design of GIS interfaces; on the other hand, technologies developed in GIS interfaces have impacted how the GIS users understand and use the GIS in different ways.

Public participation geographic information system (PPGIS) is an approach to GIS application that emphasizes grassroots participation in spatial data development, analysis, and application; empowerment of traditionally marginalized social groups through self-directed use of spatial data and technologies, and adaptation of existing GIS software and data structures to diversify the forms of spatial knowledge that may be included. PPGIS initiatives are being carried out around the world, in a variety of application contexts, including rural and urban community development, activist movements, and participatory research projects. The characteristics and specific practices of PPGIS initiatives vary widely, but usually include a collaborative approach to research, decision making, and problem solving that uses GIS or digital spatial data; initiation and direction by grassroots, activist, or nongovernmental institutions; and efforts to include in a GIS application the knowledge, needs, and priorities of socially diverse constituencies. PPGIS emerged in response to critiques of GIS that raised questions about its social and political impacts, particularly focused on limitations on including and representing diverse forms of knowledge; inequalities in access to the needed hardware, software, data and expertise; and potential barriers to participation that might emerge in planning and decision-making processes that incorporate GIS.

Geographic information systems (GIS) have emerged in the latter part of the twentieth century as an integrative information technology that includes database management, spatial analysis, and map display capabilities to portray geospatial relationships in map form. In the mid-1990s, researchers began questioning the overall intent of the technology and its seeming bias toward larger organizations, showing that its use privileged certain groups of people over other groups in society. Some would say that continued GIS development and use would lead to a further technological ‘colonization’ of everyday lives making people ‘objects’ of new governmental and commercial powers. Others worry about everybody being ‘geo-coded’, hence the term ‘geoslavery’ was coined. A debate about the ‘good’ side and the ‘evil’ side of GIS continues, but the issues become more nuanced than many of the simple early polarizations, particularly when these issues are more fully researched and deconstructed within multiple sectors of society. The term society is taken to mean a community, nation, or broad grouping of people having common traditions, institutions, and collective activities and interests, or more specifically an enduring and cooperating social group whose members have developed organized patterns of relationships through interaction with one another. Based on a review and synthesis of several documents about GIS and society research, seven themes appear to characterize past, present, and future research activity: (1) fundamentals of geographic information and society, (2) spatially integrated social science, (3) alternative representations of geographic information and society, (4) organizations and institutions, (5) ethical and legal issues, (6) group, public, participation, and community issues, and (7) GIS/society impacts and the social construction of GIS.

In the past, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) have been used and developed by small groups of professionals within organizations, for example, town planners within local authorities. Champions from such enthusiastic groups have made enormous contributions to the development of working GIS in practice. However, GIS implementations that are ad hoc developments primarily designed to improve the operations of the organization are potentially underutilizing the benefits of GIS. In business applications GIS must be seen as another potential tool. Managers need to see GIS among a range of management support tools, in a way that other information systems might be viewed. The integration of GIS into corporate information systems is vital for gaining the maximum benefit from the information resources of the organization. The paper explores issues such as: How can GIS be integrated into the information strategy? What are the benefits of such an integration? The paper puts forward a framework for considering GIS within the corporate information strategy.

The booming interest in the applications of GIS brings a growing awareness of the lack of not only GIS specialists, but also planners, managers and decision makers with an appropriate understanding of GIS. The need for well-educated GIS specialists in a wide range of distinct areas is discussed. Attention is focused on which kind of GIS knowledge is expected to be generated by geography related GIS education in the Universities: Do we need GIS technicians or GIS geographers? Do students need a general idea of a wide range of GIS systems or do they need to specialise in one? Should GIS theory be stressed or should students focus on applications? Do students need prerequisites? Must students master programming? A crucial problem is the way in which the courses offered are appropriate for the GIS job opportunities in the labour market.

This paper explains in simple terms the nature of geographic information systems (GIS) and the techniques that they incorporate. It identifies the role that GIS have to play in improving urban management and cites examples of the uses to which the technology has already been put.

In the past 10 years, geographic information systems (GIS) have been widely used in urban and regional planning in the developed countries in Australia, North America and Europe. However, the use of GIS in urban and regional planning in the developing countries is limited and still at an early stage of development. This paper examines the current use of GIS in urban and regional planning in the developing countries in Asia. The major hindrances in the use of GIS in the developing countries is related not so much to the technology of GIS but more to data availability, leadership, organization structure and planning practice. For GIS to be more useful to urban and regional planning in the developing countries the development of a sustainable strategy in developing GIS and staff training is needed. International assistance agencies and GIS software companies can play an active role in making GIS available and usable to the planners in the developing countries.

In these a few years, multi-media has been attracting keen interests in GIS fields, particulary for data browsing and educational applications. Although the real world, where we live and all geographical problems exist, can be observed and recorded by various methods, due to the limitation in capability of computers and also to the traditional concepts for geographical information (maps and statistics), only two types of information (digitized maps with attributes, statistics) have been used in GIS for nearly thirty years. To model and represent real world with more reality, it is important to seek alternative data types and to combine them with existing data types., This paper aims to describe several aspects of multi-media systems in general and to discuss some technological issues common and particular in GIS applications. This paper starts with examination of the definitions of multi-media which is not yet determined. Then the paper discusses media, devices and formats for multi-media recording. A short history of multi-media applications in spatail data handling, including Aspen, Domesday Project and TRINITY is reviewed. Data base structure for multi-media is a hot theoretical issue. Objectoriented approach, formal network data base and themantic network data base are discussed. As a conclusion, the author would like to emphasis that GIS has relied too much on traditional geographic information concept which were made in industrial revolution era in the late eighteenth century. It is important to update conceptts to meet with today's real world and to add more reality to GIS.

Nowadays, students are learning in a knowledge society, and they have to master some new skills to meet the needs of knowledge society. In this paper, we will discuss what knowledge is, what is knowledge management and what are knowledge management technologies. Then we will analyze how knowledge management technologies have changed the traditional modes of education and whether knowledge management technologies have important effect on education. By analyzing, we find that knowledge management technologies such as data mining, case-based reasoning, information retrieval, topic maps, weblogs, e-Portfolio, are playing important roles in education.

In recent years, GIS technology is used for managing natural disasters such as landslides to habitat mapping through remote sensing. GIS system has also been used to address land use issues. Many local governments are adding GIS technology as part of their regular administrative management system. High cost of GIS system, shortage of appropriate GIS specialists, lack of understanding and policies for homogeneous integration of GIS into planning are making the system, in many public sector cases, less than successful. We worked with a city government in the middle USA and participated in evaluating their system. Although small in size (population - thirty thousand), it's location next door to a large metropolitan city made things complicated. The city incorporated a GIS system into many aspects of public sector development, offered Web-based services to its community and published maps with search tools. The GIS based services gave the city government a high-tech reputation and a need-based analysis of public sector projects. The system gave the city officials access to real and accurate data which were not previously available. This often added more policy debates on sensitive and long range issues. It added a new dimension to city development and helped to find a combination of solutions in city wide constructions, drainage system, traffic control, and other engineering applications. Overall, the GIS system improved the efficiency of the city government and their administration processes as well as improved quality of decisions made by the city planners and managers.

While geographical information systems (GIS) have applications in a range of diverse fields, they remain underused by decision-makers in health settings. Through analysis of data captured in semi-structured interviews, the paper explores four thematic areas (the ontological, power, functionality and collaboration discourses) to understand how GIS are perceived and valued by public health decision-makers. The findings suggest that although GIS are viewed as useful tools to inform decision-making, they are in no way a panacea for practice. Participants' concerns that GIS outputs can potentially be misinterpreted or used erroneously might partly explain resistance to their use. GIS are, therefore, likely to be most effective in decision-making when applied in a multi-disciplinary context to facilitate sharing of data, knowledge and expertise across the public health landscape.

Although indigenous knowledge is key to the development of sub Saharan Africa and the preservation of its societal memory, it is fast disappearing due to a variety of reasons. One of the strategies that may assist in the management and preservation of indigenous knowledge is the utilization of knowledge management models. This article shows that knowledge management models may also offer a window of opportunity to manage and integrate indigenous knowledge into other knowledge systems. Despite the fact that knowledge management models tend to focus on business or organizational settings with formal structures, they may be adapted to manage knowledge in local communities. Knowledge management should not be restricted to “closed” business systems with formal structures. It can also be practiced in open systems or in “the wild” as expressed by Hutchins (1995). However, the ways in which communities can access and manage their knowledge assets remains a major challenge to those involved in the preservation and management of indigenous knowledge. Keywords : Indigenous knowledge systems, knowledge management models, knowledge-creation processes, managing indigenous knowledge, integrating local and external knowledge. Indilinga Vol. 6 (2) 2007 pp. 117-131

The GIS phenomenon shows no sign of weakening, but cannot last for ever. The paper addresses the long-term significance of GIS from three perspectives. First, the various application fields are reviewed and used to define four views of GIS. Second, the paper looks at some new and continuing debates in GIS and their significance for cartography. The third section of the paper discusses the search for an intellectual core for GIS, and the role of the US National Science Foundation's National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis.

The advent of geographic information systems (GIS) has created a technology with considerable potential for achieving dramatic gains in efficiency and productivity for a multitude of traditional and innovative highway management applications. However, to capitalize on GIS technology, it will be necessary for highway agencies to adapt the way in which they collect, store, and utilize data, as well as undergo fundamental changes in how they carry out technical responsibilities. This paper addresses these considerations through a study of: (1) highway management applications that can benefit from adaptation to GIS; (2) key GIS concepts affecting highway transportation; and (3) issues affecting GIS design and implementation within and between highway agencies. The results of this study are reported in terms of establishing guidelines for successfully achieving full GIS adaptation to highway management.

It is clear that geographic information systems (GIS) offer many new opportunities for both geographic research and planning practice. The problem is how to cope with these possibilities and how to resolve the various technical problems which beset the present generation of GIS. Two fundamental problems of GIS will be discussed. On the one hand, GIS systems are not advanced enough in that their functionality is limited, whereas, on the other hand, their possible use in practice is already too difficult because of the technical expertise required in their operation. Therefore, a distinction is made between different types of users of spatial information. These distinctions have important consequences in the area of practice, in particular in the application of the present generation of GIS software. The current possibilities of GIS usage and their strengths and weaknesses are discussed in relation to the requirements of these various users. A strategy designed to meet these different forms of use is outlined. An information system called RIA (Regional Information through Automation) has been developed for public decisionsmakers and involved citizens in the Netherlands. It is based on a large and flexible GIS. The context in which RIA has been developed is discussed and a technical description of the system provided.

GIS has wider and wider applications. The application in the field of administrative management and assistant decision-making have formed a specific research area--the government GIS. As an information industry with great sociality, GIS and its development are influenced by many technical factors and social factors. As for the government GIS in China, the social factors often play a more important role in it. A description of the current development status of the government GIS, both in China and abroad, was made in this paper. After the description, researchers pointed out the deficiency of Chinese government GIS. On the basis of this, the rational suggestion of government GIS in China were put forward at last.

Featuring as the discipline of research tool, project and intersection, GIS' science precipitates the stratification and versatility of GIS application and correspondingly social demand of GIS professional. Based on the investigation and analysis relating to the status of current GIS education at home and abroad, this paper points out that GIS professionals should own several dispositions: the integration of basic mathematical as well as spatial knowledge with perfect GIS specialty; the integration of fundamental skills of GIS and strong desire for GIS query and renovation; the integration of GIS developing technique and GIS projects-managing capacity. Moreover, they should grasp a correspondingly stereo knowledge structure, which is elongated by mathematical and spatial elementary, widen by the application, and deepen by special technology. At last, the educational model is proposed, and program is discussed aiming at cultivation of middle or advanced level GIS professionals.