Advantages And Disadvantages Of Desktop GIS

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The comparison of web-based and desktop GIS advantages and disadvantages

Geographical information systems is a tool that lets one visualize, question, analyze, interpret and understand data to identify relationships and trends. This study was designed in order to identify the advantages and disadvantages of Web-GIS in comparison with the Desktop GIS. This was important in order to determine future trends in GIS. After comparison, Web-GIS was found to have most advantages than Desktop GIS and future directions were identified.

Geographical Information system (GIS) is a tool containing information of a certain geographical area where that information can be analyzed to serve different purposes (Khan and Adnan, 2010). GIS software enables users to view spatial data in different formats, which then allows one to interpret data simply with understanding (Alesheikh et al, 2002). There are four types of GIS i.e. Desktop GIS (creation, analysis, editing and visualization), Server GIS (management, achieving, sharing, distribution and review), Mobile GIS (collection and navigation) and the Online/Web GIS which is directly related to server GIS (Schuble, 1990).

GIS has an ability to convert diverse and complex amounts of data into more simple and easy to-read and access maps and information. With the rapid expansion and development of the Internet and World Wide Web, the Web-GIS (web geographical information system) has become more popular (Kou-gen et al, 2000). By using Internet GIS applications, users may view, analyze and download spatial information from anywhere at desired time. Web-GIS has an emphasis on analysis and processing of project specific geospatial data (Schuble, 1990).

This internet- based GIS emerged and expanded...

... middle of paper ...

...her advantage of Desktop GIS over Web-GIS is that the user can add/overlay any additional data over the other and user can use anywhere with no Internet connection required.

In the future, Web-GIS is likely to be used more since much recent attention has focused on development of GIS functionality in the internet, world wide web and private intranets. Looking at the current benefits (advantages) of Web-GIS over Desktop GIS, it is likely that the future generations will rely solely on Web-GIS for applications as is currently shifting to that direction such as less costs and flexibility. Many GIS databases are now distributed over local or wide area network which enable easy use of Web-GIS and so likely to shift on this direction for upcoming years. Remote sensing will become an important source of GIS data as the costs of data decrease and new sorts of data arrive.

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