Geovision Systems Inc, Denver, Colorado reckons that its Vision 2.0 system will set the world of geographic information systems on its ear: key feature is that the thing runs with the generality of relational database management systems rather than coming with its own specialised database for storing specialised data derived from maps, drawings or environmental data and offering only bridges to associated data existing in corporate databases. Vision 2.0 runs layered across the relational database and supports integration attribute information such as facility, personnel and financial data with spatial information such as maps, drawings, photographs and diagrams. The architecture enables requests that previously could be processed only within a proprietary geographic database to be handled within the off-the-shelf database without sacrificing speed – the company says it has rewritten the database access layer in Vision to route all data requests directly to the relational database. The system provides access to spatial indexing, cataloguing data two-dimensionally; co-ordinate strings – X, Y and Z vectors describing spatial location; and graphic attributes – symbolisation of geographic data. The Vision data management software runs on database servers and Unix workstations.
X Window
Vision application modules for updating, analysing and outputting the data run on Unix workstations, X Window terminals or personal computers and it uses a symbology that enables users to visualise the same set of data in different ways, depending on their needs, in a multi-media environment. It supports Unix workstations and servers from Digital Equipment Corp, IBM Corp and Sun Microsystems Inc, and only two databases at present Oracle and Ingres. Other SQL relational databases including IBM’s DB2 and SQL/DS can be interconnected with Vision. It uses the OSF/Motif graphical user interface. The Vision 2.0 line is a modular set of products that together support all major aspects of data compilation, management and analysis and application development. The products range in price from $2,000 to $20,000, and all are available now.
