| With the advent of Geographic Information Systems and Geographic Information Science (GIS) over the last 20 years, the field of Geography, mainly the applied sector, has gained increased recognition world wide. Along with this has come an increased ability and need for the sharing of geographic data. This thesis will investigate the various means currently available to facilitate data sharing, including the availability of geographic data distributed throughout the Internet. A number of World Wide Web sites providing geographic data were chosen as a representative cross section of the current functionality available on the Internet. This document is intended to be used as a guide for more effective implementation of World Wide Web "GIS" sites and aid in conceptualizing the Internet as a Societal GIS. |
