The Atlas of Canada: New AJAX-like MapServer Interface

[Steve Lime]

Can't comment on the XML/AJAX stuff but the interface is terrific. You've have addressed
many of the problems we've seen in just the first day of one-way mirror testings of our
Recreation Compass application. People click on something and they expect immediate
gratification. They simply cannot handle two-click zooms- damn MapQuest...

Anyway, very nice work. I look forward to stealing many of your ideas!

Steve

>>> "Doyon, Jean-Francois" <Jean-Francois.Doyon at CCRS.NRCAN.GC.CA> 06/21/05 10:34 AM >>>
Hello,

The Atlas of Canada recently deployed a new mapping interface for it's
MapServer delivered maps.

This interface implements an AJAX-like paradigm, with the main difference
being that instead of using XML for client-server communications, an
invisible Iframe and HTML is used.  This avoids the potential ActiveX
security problems on IE browsers, and makes the whole system much simpler
IMHO.

This interface was also thoroughly tested for usability (Interviews, focus
groups, one-way mirrors, etc ...) by our target audience, which is the
general public and the educational community.

Here are a few examples:

http://atlas.gc.ca/site/english/maps/economic/si/ls/l10 
http://atlas.gc.ca/site/english/maps/peopleandsociety/immigration/imfb_01 
http://atlas.gc.ca/site/english/maps/peopleandsociety/QOL/eco_qoluc_p 
http://atlas.gc.ca/site/english/maps/environment/seaice/break-up 

You can view any of our hundreds of maps using the menu on the left.  Note
that Reference Maps and Archive Maps are not MapServer driven.  Archive Maps
do have a similar type of interface implementation however.

I look forward to getting some feedback from the MapServer community!

Cheers,

Jean-François Doyon
Internet Service Development and Systems Support / Spécialiste de
dèveloppements internet et soutien technique
Canada Centre for Remote Sensing/Centre Canadien de télédétection
Natural Resources Canada/Ressources Naturelles Canada
http://atlas.gc.ca 
Tel./Tél.: (613) 992-4902
Fax: (613) 947-2410