[Mapbender-users] Ask for participation: Sponsoring the integration of the new OpenLayers framekwork

[Axel Schaefer]

Dear Mapbender Users.

We need your help.

The next months, big changes and major improvements will come into
Mapbender. The map framework will be upgraded to the latest version of
OpenLayers. This is the biggest change to the software that has been
made in recent years!

For our Mapbender-Team this milestone "OpenLayers" has the highest
priority and we have already planned extensive human and financial
resources (aka my dearly colleagues in the Mapbender Team and things
like a testserver) to achieve this milestone. Nevertheless, we need your
support to achieve the goal.

We have created a sponsoring page on our Mapbender-website
(https://www.mapbender.org/?q=en/sponsoring-en) where you can
participate in the further development of this sub-project. Every
contribution counts. Starting from a contribution of 1.000 Euro, we
publish name and logo of the supporter on the website.

We plan with a lot of working days to achieve this step. The scheduled
customization will include a rewrite of all elements of Mapbender, from
key components such as the map itself to the legend, the layer tree, the
FeatureInfo, the Print element, and so on. In fact we have to adjust all
elements that have a connection to the map or a call to OpenLayers2
functionality.

The advantages are clear: Not only do we support the modern OpenLayers
Framework but we will have better possibilities for the future
developments:

- Better handling of mobile applications.

- Support of higher resolutions and better compatibility with the
  printed image.

- Drafts of 3D support are in the queue.

- Supporting the import of other formats that can be uploaded to the map
  is easier with OpenLayers2.

- Feature- and Vektorgraphics can be handled better and for example this
  will have an effect on the possibilities of the Digitizer element.

At least, OpenLayers2 isn't developed any more and this step is
necessary to avoid security risks in the future.

Our goal is of course to provide a compatibility to the further
applications based on OpenLayers2, so that these can be copied to a new
application based on the new framework. We don't intend to change the
functionality of the elements so that the parameters will not change. If
we encounter a parameter that isn't used anymore or a parameter that has
to be added, we will do that and provide a default. All in all we
implement the changes of the calls to OpenLayers and the interface
between Mapbender and the framework.

Details of the development and integration of OpenLayers are public at
our GitHub code and the Github ticket management
(https://github.com/mapbender/mapbender/projects/3). The next steps are
the detailed look into the elements and getting to code. We will update
the status on the tickets and provide information on our Mapbender
website.

So check out our sponsoring webpage
(https://www.mapbender.org/?q=en/sponsoring-en) and participate in the
development of this really big step.

For further questions regarding this Sponsoring you can contact me or
simply ask here in this Mailinglist.

We thank you.

The Mapbender Team

--
Axel Schaefer
WhereGroup GmbH & Co. KG
Eifelstraße 7
53119 Bonn
Germany

Fon: +49 (0)228 / 90 90 38 - 23
Fax: +49 (0)228 / 90 90 38 - 11

axel.schaefer at wheregroup.com
www.wheregroup.com | www.mapbender.org
Amtsgericht Bonn, HRA 6788
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Komplementärin:
WhereGroup Verwaltungs GmbH
vertreten durch:
Olaf Knopp, Peter Stamm
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