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Article: Understanding the basics of GIS: scale, accuracy, and cost.(includes related articles on GIS)(geographic information systems)(Cover Story)
- Article from:
- Public Works
- Article date:
- May 1, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Hanley-Wood, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Geographic information systems (GIS) is a class of software that stores, manages, and analyzes mappable features on, above, or below the surface of the earth. GIS software is essentially database management software; it simply extends the capability of standard database management software to the management of spatial information. A GIS manages, analyzes, charts, graphs, and maps spatial information. As a result, GIS challenges us to understand the complexities of scale, accuracy, and the photogrammetric process. To ignore or misunderstand these complexities can cause unnecessary expenditures of money for the development of highly accurate landbases (a landbase is a more ...