GML 2 On the Way to Adoption.

Business/Technology Editors

WAYLAND, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 13, 2001

Open GIS Consortium, Inc. (OGC) announced today that the Geography Markup Language (GML) Editing Committee completed its work on the GML 2.0 Recommendation Paper. This action paves the way for balloting to make the paper an official OpenGIS Implementation Specification. The recommendation paper is available at http://www.opengis.org/techno/specs.htm.

GML, a structure for storing and sharing geographic data, is an encoding of the OGC Simple Feature geometry model using Extensible Markup Language (XML). Geographic data stored in GML includes both the geometry (location) and descriptive attributes of map features. Part of the allure of GML is that software vendors who choose to support it will be able to access data from any source that publishes data expressed in GML, and then manage, display and use this data as they like.

GML 2.0 significantly expands the capabilities of GML 1.0. GML 2.0 is based on XML Schema, and enables the encoding of complex features and feature associations.

GML was one of several technology ideas that evolved from OGC's Web Mapping Testbed, which began operation in 1999. Since it was unveiled in 2000, interest in GML has been widespread and active for the following reasons: the reliance of GML on widely used, standardized XML assures that tools and experience are available in the marketplace; GML is easily accessible, using almost any programming language, allowing software developers to display, query and manipulate the data, as they need; and GML's flexibility allows the same data to be used in different ways by different applications, on a variety of platforms - a compelling feature for the mapping, Internet and location-based services communities.

Sonny Parafina, Senior Program Manager for In-Q-Tel notes, "GML makes distributed geospatial processing a reality and enables interoperability between systems. Instead of just querying for pictures of maps, users can now interact with the data. GML is a foundation technology that enables In-Q-Tel to field distributed systems that harvest spatial information in documents, assign real world coordinates, and attach value-added information to the newly created features. Data analysts can now geographically visualize information that was previously a text narrative. Analysts can also share the data between systems because GML is based on XML. The commercial potential for spatial data that can be used by systems other than mapping applications is considerable. For example, location-savvy business systems, such as mobile commerce applications, can make use of GML data. GML moves Web mapping from a niche technology to a mainstream business information service."

The OGC Technical Committee has begun electronic balloting for approval of the recommendation paper as a specification, with final voting to be completed by early April. With a final specification, software vendors can begin to implement GML in their offerings, and take another significant step toward data and software interoperability.

OGC is an international industry consortium of over 200 companies, government agencies and universities participating in a consensus process to develop publicly available geoprocessing specifications. OpenGIS Specifications establish common interfaces that "geo-enable" the Web and mainstream IT, enabling technology developers to make complex spatial information and services accessible and useful with all kinds of applications. Visit the OGC website at www.opengis.org.