[postgis-users] Google SoC idea, PostGIS <-> K-3D

[Daniel S. Matthews]

Google recently purchased SketchUp for producing GIS related geometry such  
a 3D models of buildings for
Google Maps. One FOSS alternative to SetchUp could be K-3D  
http://www.k-3d.org/wiki/Main_Page
unfortunately Google turn it down for this year's SoC even though it is  
relevant to what they do, FOSS
and cross-platform.

The fact that K-3D works with 4D data, it has animation, makes it  
particularly useful when working with
data that changes over time, what GIS data doesn't? e.g. The visualisation  
of changes in the built and
natural environment.

The Idea: Integrate K-3D, PostGIS and Google Earth. K-3D can be used to  
create and present GIS data
stored in PostGIS and this data can also serve as input to Google Earth.

K-3D is very modular with a plug-in based architecture, this idea could be  
implemented as one or more
plug-ins in K-3D. One possible implementation is as a gateway, PostGIS <->  
K-3D <-> Google Earth, but I
am sure there are a lot of other clever ways the three tools can be used  
together.

I have cross posted this message on the K-3D and PostGIS lists to  
ascertain if there is any
significant shared interest in the idea. I hope there is!

Dan.