ABSTRACT
In this chapter we explore past changes, current trends, and likely future developments in GIS architecture by focusing on the interoperability and modularity of different architectures. The chapter starts by looking at modularity and interoperability independently. First, three basic GIS architectures with different modularity characteristics are explored in section 7.1. Section 7.2 introduces the barriers to interoperability. Section 7.3 explains the role of networks for interoperable GIS architectures, and examines the key system architectures used in GIS to achieve high levels of both interoperability and modularity. Section 7.4 introduces a major application area for interoperable networked computer systems, termed distributed databases. Finally, section 7.5 investigates the importance and impact of the increasing use of location-aware computing devices on GIS architectures.
