GIS 5101 DF2 Comments on Geographical Information

Comment on these two post as if you were me with a 100 words each, DO NOT COMPARE THE POSTS, and put 3 references for each post, and please seperate the references.
Jerry Sparks
GIS Program Start Up Recommendations
Taking into account the majority of our budget will be spent purchasing software and servers, the challenge is to launch the program with as little funding as possible. Initially, I would recommend downloading layers that specific to city that has been designated as our area of operations. For example, any layers that provide data relative to municipal functions, zoning, infrastructure, road ways, utilities, surface water, wet lands, schools, and tax maps.
Since MassGIS is a free resource, it’s serves as an excellent choice given our budget constraints. More importantly, MassGIS has the formal assigned legislative authority and mandate to set the standards for the geographical information for the state. This fact addresses any possible future issues of compatibility in reference GIS software and data.
Limitations concerning the data supplied by MassGIS could possibly be that:
Data is limited to the state of Massachusetts
As stated in the FAQ of the Mass GIS website, “Most likely, if it is not listed there, we do not have the layer” What you see, is what you get.
The data lacks information about private sector industry and commerce.
MassGIS is an ideal resource that will allow the city to establish a GIS program with limited funding. Additionally, with the bulk of data being supplied free of charge it may still allow for the potential purchase of data that is not being provided free of charge, essentially allowing your resources to go farther.
Jerry Sparks
GIS Program Start Up Recommendations
Taking into account the majority of our budget will be spent purchasing software and servers, the challenge is to launch the program with as little funding as possible. Initially, I would recommend downloading layers that specific to city that has been designated as our area of operations. For example, any layers that provide data relative to municipal functions, zoning, infrastructure, road ways, utilities, surface water, wet lands, schools, and tax maps.
Since MassGIS is a free resource, it’s serves as an excellent choice given our budget constraints. More importantly, MassGIS has the formal assigned legislative authority and mandate to set the standards for the geographical information for the state. This fact addresses any possible future issues of compatibility in reference GIS software and data.
Limitations concerning the data supplied by MassGIS could possibly be that:
Data is limited to the state of Massachusetts
As stated in the FAQ of the Mass GIS website, “Most likely, if it is not listed there, we do not have the layer” What you see, is what you get.
The data lacks information about private sector industry and commerce.
MassGIS is an ideal resource that will allow the city to establish a GIS program with limited funding. Additionally, with the bulk of data being supplied free of charge it may still allow for the potential purchase of data that is not being provided free of charge, essentially allowing your resources to go farther.
Xuejiao Wang
After I was hired by Massachusetts city, I think the first thing I need to do is doing research for the city in order to find the advantage and disadvantage of the city. To make a recommendations regarding how to get started, I think I’m going to choose some fundamental layers from MassGIS website.
USGS Color Ortho Imagery(2013-2014): this digital orthoimagery can serve as the base layer for GIS program. From this data’s detail in the website, “These image data were created to provide easily accessible geospatial data which are readily available to enhance the capability of Federal, State, and local emergency responders, as well as plan for homeland security efforts. These data also support The National Map.” (Mass. Gov)
Datalayers from the 2010 U.S. Census: by visible features and invisible boundaries and short line of sight to show the extension of streets and roads.
Coastline(1:25,000): this layer contain Massachusetts coastline, state boundary and out of state coastline.
MBTA Bus Routes and Stops: MBTA is the most important transportation data for GIS system. It shows bus routes and stops with in MBTA public transit system.
Geographic Place Names: these geographic features’ names are using for map labels.
To complete a GIS system, the layers I choose is far short of completing the system. These are some basic layers that I think it should contain. MassGIS website is an official website for Massachusetts. So the data will be guaranteed veracity and timeliness.
About the limitation of the data, I think it is too official to collect comprehensive more detail data. Some specific features data we can’t find in MassGIS, like shop’s information. Even if some data are updated frequently,but there still some data are renew slowly, like demographic census is updated by ten years. so I will caution my client that this information may not the current time information.