food for thought
"A number of astronauts, and then all of us who saw the photography from space, marvelled at how much the Florida peninsula, meandering Mississippi, the islands of Britain, and the boot of Italy resembled the maps everyone had grown up with. We had taken it for granted that maps were faithful reflections of reality; but we were somehow amazed when reality turned out to be true to the maps."
John Noble Wilford, The Mapmakers
"Agreeing common standards is an essential step in e-government. This agreement means the innovative work done by Ordnance Survey on OS MasterMap™ using geography to link information together, will turn a wide range of raw information into exciting new citizen services and deliver more effective government.
“My office is already working with Ordnance Survey to develop both areas. People will be able to find out more about how government affects them in their everyday lives at home, at work and at leisure. Internally, sharing information more effectively means more efficient government.
“I am encouraging all government departments to make the most of the opportunities which come from this great step forward.”
Andrew Pinder, UK Government e-Envoy
“We believe that one of the most important reasons for the low take up of GIS is a lack of awareness of the potential benefits to be gained from their application.”
Report of the UK Government Committee of Enquiry chaired by Lord Chorley on the Handling of Geographic Information
“The most surprising thing is the sheer speed at which electronic positioning information is becoming available to customers who wouldn't naturally think of themselves as map users.”
Vanessa Lawrence, Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey
“In a rapidly changing world, and in a society of cutting-edge information technology, I cannot help but be newly astonished at the power of communication. In the future of this information society where every second brings changes in information, it is critical to be the first to capture these advances.
“GIS is no exception to this rule. GIS information based on precise data is the most fundamental basis for improving human life.”
Kim, Jang-Su, President & CEO of Korea Telecom Data, Inc.
