UMN Mapserver on mobile devices

[Puneet Kishor]

Bob Basques wrote:
> Puneet Kishor wrote:
>> Rainer Spittel wrote:
>>  
>>> Hi there,
>>>
>>>   It just came in my mind: I wonder if is might be possible to setup 
>>> a UMN
>>> Mapserver environment on a mobile/handheld device (cellphone, PocketPC
>>> etc.)? So the MapServer runs on the PocketPC including core geospatial
>>> datasets (contours etc.) and accesses a WMS through the internet 
>>> connection.
>>> May there is a "ms4mob" ? ;-)
>>>
>>>   Does anyone has experience with that? Is there a documentation 
>>> available?
>>>
>>>     
>>
>>
>> no answer here for your specific question, but -- why would you want 
>> to run MapServer on a handheld when you could use the browser on your 
>> handheld to access MapServer installed on a real computer? I mean, 
>> that is the whole point of running a server, so remote and mobile 
>> users (and not just those holding mobile devices) can access the data. 
>> All you would have to do is create a small-screen optimized version of 
>> your site; fairly easy to do if you are using a scripting environment 
>> with some kind of templating system.
>>
>>   
> There are quite a few reasons to do this.  One would be to make the 
> thing run without a data connection.  We have need to go into tunnels 
> and underground for example.  Not to mention that it would run quicker.  
..

So much in emails goes unsaid. The obvious answer to my question is, of 
course, being able to access the map data "disconnected." I should have 
discounted that in my original query, and said what I really meant to 
say in the first place --

the hardware, and most importantly, the screen-size constraints would 
make the mapping experience woeful on such a device. On a postage stamp 
size screen, there will be a lot of panning and zooming involved. I used 
Vindigo's city-info app on my Palm-OS device for a while -- not a GIS, 
but it can tell you where to go, and how to get there, etc.. They have a 
nice model whereby one syncs info over an internet connection. It was 
fun for a couple of months, and then all the mousing around got tiring. 
Granted, some specific applications might benefit from a handheld 
version, but for most part, just put your website on a laptop and carry 
that... the little notebooks in both Mac and PC (and all the *nix 
installs on x86 hardware) are really tiny. No further work required, and 
it would run pleasingly.

Anyway, thanks for the detailed answer. It would definitely be 
technically interesting, and publicity-wise positive to see MapServer or 
variants running on handhelds. Maybe innovations in input methods will 
making the mousing around bearable. Maybe, one day on my wristwatch as 
well. ;-)