Hello all. Let me tell you a bit re what I'm doing (he sez, as though he really knows!) and invite suggestions.
I've written a free open source computer-aided dispatch application, targeted to teams/agencies with zero budgets for software of this nature. (It's Tickets by name, and with a demonstration/download site at http://www.saefern.org/tickets/ - in addition to SourceForge.) It's built using the usual open source suspects, PHP and MySql. Of special relevance here is that I've included Google Maps as the geo-spatial component. Justification for the latter is, not surprisingly, its zero cost, ubiquity, and convenience - as well as its capabilities. By design for its expected installation by first-timers, it avoids use of any other than the most basic components. But a portion of the user community are (properly) concerned re its dependence on Google - for the mapping and API. Now I'm looking at what it takes to port Tickets to a mapping base that wd allow its use in situations where - at least temporarily - there's no Internet access; the maps/tiles/images wd need storage and accessibility at the local web server. (Client browser and server are readily configured onto a single box.) Certainly, OpenLayer's open Source aspect is especially attractive, given all of the above. Tickets can/is deployed where there's limited mapping available, but I expect that users - many of them ham radio enthusiasts - might be willing to spend some effort in developing the kinds of map information appropriate to their particular situations. From what I see on this list, there's no shortage of tools and advice to help them do so. This might be a particularly positive aspect in such an implementation, although possibly more than countered by the possible lack of immediate out-of-the-box availability. What I'm looking for is any experience in porting a GMaps-based application towards OpenLayers, and, especially, re what maps/tiles/images you used, including those fm OpenStreetMap, and why. Th - th - th - that's it folks. Comments and suggestions invited. With best wishes for a peaceful new year, Arnie Shore Annapolis, MD ~~~~_/)~~~~~~~~~~_/)~~~~~~~~~~_/)~~~~~~~~~~_/)~~~~~~~~~~_/)~~~~~~~~~~_/)~~~~~~~~~~_/)~~~~~~~~~~_/)~~~~~~~~ _______________________________________________ Users mailing list [email protected] http://openlayers.org/mailman/listinfo/users
