[OSGeo-Discuss] idea for an OSGeo project -- a new, open data format

[Paul Spencer]

Cubewerx created a binary XML implementation that is open source.   
They claim substantial benefits, so perhaps GML plus a binary XML  
library could be an alternative?

http://www.cubewerx.com/web/guest/bxml

Cheers

Paul

On 15-Nov-07, at 5:21 PM, Lucena, Ivan wrote:

> Sampson,
>
> I am not a GML guru and I don't know if a binary version exists  
> already, but I would imagine that HDF5 would be a excellent choice  
> by its own hierarchical nature. I mean, we can use GML as a schema  
> to store the data in binary format in the HDF5 format.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Ivan
>
> Sampson, David wrote:
>> Alright,
>> Here are some other thoughts.
>> First off what about a open office (open base) type approach... This
>> mimmics the ESRI MSAccess approach and seams to work well for non  
>> server
>> environments. Also open office is a good environment for some basic
>> applications.
>> Next, what ever happened to the adoption of GML... Was GML not  
>> supposed
>> to be the NEXT interchange fomrat?  Perhaps this is a good  
>> discussion to
>> include the GML gurus in. The whole discussion of going with a binary
>> GML format makes sense and GML is already used for many web mapping
>> (feature) services. It sounds like a duplication of GML to me...  
>> Unless
>> someone can offer a direct compare and contrast between the concept  
>> here
>> and the GML/Binary GML concept.
>> In either case being able to convert to and from GML would be a  
>> necesity
>> for wide adoption IMHO.
>> Another thought is to encourage some of the proprietary formats to  
>> open
>> up. What would it take to get ESRI on board to open up the format  
>> (open
>> as in free speech). What about other non-open standards? Once it's  
>> open
>> then we can bring the SHP format to modern day useage. Surely much of
>> the format could be salvaged.
>> Besides, if you want wide adoption of an open format then why not  
>> go for
>> those players who hold greatest market share.
>> Some thoughts.
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: discuss-bounces at lists.osgeo.org
>> [mailto:discuss-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of P Kishor
>> Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 09:53
>> To: OSGeo Discussions
>> Subject: [OSGeo-Discuss] idea for an OSGeo project -- a new, open  
>> data
>> format
>> So, I am thinking, Shapefile is the de facto data standard for GIS  
>> data.
>> That it is open (albeit not Free) along with the deep and wide  
>> presence
>> of ESRI's products from the beginning of the epoch, it has been  
>> widely
>> adopted. Existence of shapelib, various language bindings, and  
>> ready use
>> by products such as MapServer has continued to cement Shapefile as  
>> the
>> format to use. All this is in spite of Shapefile's inherent  
>> drawbacks,
>> particularly in the area of attribute data management.
>> What if we came up with a new and improved data format -- call it  
>> "Open
>> Shapefile" (extension .osh) -- that would be completely Free,
>> single-file based (instead of the multiple .shp, .dbf, .shx, etc.),  
>> and
>> based on SQLite, giving the .osh format complete relational data
>> handling capabilities. We would require a new version of Shapelib,
>> improved language bindings, make it the default and preferred  
>> format for
>> MapServer, and provide seamless and painless import of regular .shp  
>> data
>> into .osh for native rendering. Its adoption would be quick in the  
>> open
>> source community. The non-opensource community would either not  
>> give a
>> rat's behind for it, but it wouldn't affect them...
>> they would still work with their preferred .shp until they learned
>> better. By having a completely open and Free single-file based,  
>> built on
>> SQLite, fully relational dbms capable spatial data format, it would  
>> be
>> positioned for continued improvement and development.
>> Is this too crazy?
>> --
>> Puneet Kishor
>> _______________________________________________
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|Paul Spencer                          pspencer at dmsolutions.ca    |
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|Chief Technology Officer                                         |
|DM Solutions Group Inc                http://www.dmsolutions.ca/ |
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