On 26 Jun 2008, at 05:34, Mike Liebhold wrote: > This kind of simply geographic boolean query [ "lung cancer" "liquor > store" cigarettes near Los Angeles] is trivial to an experienced > google > searcher, and common for a military intelligence analyst but quite > difficult for many users. Until we have -aggregated- geodata this will > be imposible capability for the rest of us, but immensely powerful > once > we have achieved a critical mass of aggregated, indexed community and > professionaly created geodata and spatial media, and learn how to form > useful questions.
This has been going on for years, decades even (John Snow's cholera map anyone?), but it's hardly 'trivial'. Sure it would be wonderful to have every bit of data the world has ever produced indexed in a geospatial database up in the cloud somewhere. However, it's pure fantasy to suggest that to find The Truth all we need is this aggregated geodata and some geo-search engine where we can enter ' [ "lung cancer" "liquor store" cigarettes near Los Angeles]'. The answer, each time, would be 42 because, as you rightly note the issue is knowing how to form useful questions. And being able to judge the quality, resolution of the data we're using. And being able to carry out statistical analyses on the results. And trying to work out whether we're being geographical determinists. And before you know it you're no longer one of 'the rest of us' but just doing what people have been using ArcGIS, MapInfo, GRASS, Idrisi for for years. Cheers, A -- Andrew Larcombe Freelance Geospatial, Database & Web Programming web: http://www.andrewlarcombe.co.uk : http://blog.andrewl.net email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] icq: 306690163 _______________________________________________ Geowanking mailing list [email protected] http://lists.burri.to/mailman/listinfo/geowanking
