ABSTRACT
In previous chapters, we have looked at elements of the current technology for placing geographic information services on the World Wide Web. Many of these technologies are still in their infancy. At the time of writing, even XML, and as a result all of the standards that hang off it, has not yet come into general use. One reason for this is protracted discussions about the nature of the translation language and processes for linking XML documents to style sheets (XSL). However, once these issues are resolved, we can expect to see rapid implementation of GML, SVG, PMML, DSTP, and all the other standards that we have considered. We anticipate that the implementation of these standards and protocols will lead not only to an explosion of activity in online GIS, but also to entirely new kinds of applications. In this chapter we explore some of the possibilities that we foresee. Some of these are already happening in prototype or experimental form.
