Geospatial search gets more awareness?

Finally geospatial search gets more awareness from OGC (and vendors?)! There happened a by-inviation-only-meeting(!) called “OGC Geospatial Search Summit”, 15. September 2008 (http://www.ogcnetwork.net/node/396) as the highearthorbit blog reports.

Here are some interesting agreements from the blog:

1. Use simple, common formats as they already exist when appropriate, i.e OpenSearch as a base URI templating mechanism and follow GeoRSS-Simple specification for geographic data.
2. Use the Egenhofer topological operations ? terminology and definition, per Simple Features model (point, line, polygon)as a fundamental set of definitions.
3. In any geospatial query language, the minimum spatial parameter is BBOX, WGS84, with an implied spatial relation/operator ?intersects?. So, global search might be BBOX(-180,-90,180,90.
4. The next geospatial search type that should be defined is the Point with radius/distance and units=meters(default)
5. For specifying min/max, follow 19107 minx, miny, maxx, maxy pattern -90<lat<90, -180<long<180 (in decimal degrees).

Comment: Nice outcome as URI templating mechanism is very similar to geo-bookmarks!

geometa.info Suchmaschine v.3 Beta bald bereit

The tests around Version 3 of geometa.info – the search engine for geoservices, geodata and online maps – are soon to be completed. The new version contains an enhanced semi-automated web crawler (robot) which focusses on geospatial web services such as WMS. There are also enhanced search features such as a direct display of WMS services as web maps.

Die Tests rund um Version 3 von geometa.info – der Suchmaschine für Geodienste, Geodaten und Online-Karten – sind bald abgeschlossen. Die neue Version bringt v.a. einen verbesserten halbautomatischen Web-Crawler (Roboter) mit, der gezielt nach Geo-Webdiensten wie z.B. WMS suchen kann. Es werden auch die Suchfunktionen verbessert, u.a. zur direkten Anzeige von WMS-Diensten als Webkarten.