Developing a Hybrid Web-based GIS for Improving Access to Distributed Spatial Data and Spatial Modeling Tools

The maturation of the Web technology has reshaped the ways in which data are accessed, disseminated, and shared. Thanks to its popularity along with the advance of spatial information technology, four major changes have been further made in traditional geographic information systems (GIS) in relation to access to data, distribution of data, access to GIS functionality, and visualization of multimedia data. Although access to and dissemination of spatial data over the Web has in recent years been addressed in the literature, little research effort has addressed the issue of access to and processing of GIS analysis functions over the Web. This research explores the potential use of Web-based GIS in improving accessibility to distributed spatial data and spatial modeling tools. A prototype Web-based GIS developed in this study focuses on Web-based location-allocation modeling for spatial decision support, and employs a hybrid approach that uses the Arc/Info software as a GIS server and CGM viewer as a client-side plug-in. This research shows that Web-based GIS is a useful vehicle in conducting spatial modeling in the particular user community. In addition, this study represents the possibility of Web-based GIS in developing open spatial decision supporting systems.