Introduction
The Survey Open Source, or SurveyOS, Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering cooperation between land surveyors and GIS professionals. The SurveyOS Project seeks to accomplish this goal through the development of open technology standards and open source software. The project's current open source software development efforts are focused on the GIS program OpenJUMP, and we participate as an active member of the JUMP Pilot Project. (The JUMP Pilot Project, or JPP, is a coalition of developers from around the world that coordinate OpenJUMP development.) We are also currently working on 2 “open” GIS technical standards. The first is an XML file format for geospatial data known as LocusXML. LocusXML is written in a simple subset of XML known as 2SimpleXML. The second is a GIS data model for survey control points and control networks.
Cooperation Built On Open Source Tools
The SurveyOS Project seeks to counteract the forces pushing land surveyors and GIS professionals apart. There are often conflicts and disagreements between land surveyors and GIS professionals about the role each profession plays in mapping the world that we live in. Land surveyors recognize the the danger of individuals working with spatial data while lacking a thorough understanding of concepts like measurement error, coordinate systems and map projections, and the legal and technical requirements of properly locating real property boundaries. GIS professionals counter that some land surveyors try to control areas of their work or influence without a need or justification for doing so. This animosity and conflict has led some land surveyors to ignore the value of GIS as a powerful tool in their toolbox, while leading some GIS professionals to ignore the benefits of quality spatial data that results from the procedures and methods employed by land surveyors. We believe that both professions can overcome these differences and can benefit from the unique knowledge and experience that the other group possesses. An important part of enabling this process is the tools that allow land surveyors to harness the power of GIS, and that allows a GIS professional to benefit from the results of a properly executed survey. The SurveyOS Project encourages development of these tools under an open source license, and hopes to explore the areas where land surveying and GIS do, or could, overlap and benefit from one another.
Supported By Volunteers
The SurveyOS Project is supported by volunteers. It is not, unlike other geospatial organizations, dominated or directed by commercial interests or large financial sponsors. Memebership in the SurveyOS Project is open to all individuals interested in working towards the accomplishment of the goals of the project, and who are willing to contribute some of their time and energy to its success.
How can you help?
The SurveyOS Project is currently seeking volunteers to assist with the following tasks:
- Software Developments
- Documentation
- Standards Developments
- Software Testing
- Marketing
- Project Administration