This paper introduce ideas to build social space for sharing spatial data, information, but also experience with sharing spatial data. The objective of 4rh way to SDI is not to build one node or access point for accessing or collecting spatial information, the objective is to build network of nodes, where every node could be your access point for spatial information. The objective of 4rh way to SDI is not to be alternative of such public initiatives like INSPIRE, GEOSS, GMESS or UNSDI but to give chance to anybody to profit from formed Global SDI using standards coming from this initiatives and using interoperability rules defined mainly by Open Geospatial Consortium and W3C. The objective of 4rh way to SDI is not replace such useful initiatives as OpenStreetMap, but to make results of such initiatives better accessible for everybody. The objective of 4rh way to SDI is not to remove such solution like Google Map or others, but give some alternative, where on one side people could share information in different environment including for example Google. The objective of 4rh way to SDI is to support utilisation of Open Sources, but so called proprietary solution are not excluded from network, key aspect is interoperability. Objective of 4rh way to SDI is also give chance to share and use spatial information to people, who doesn’t have necessary infrastructure.
Approximately one year ago we firstly use terms 4rh way to SDI and Geoportal4everybody. But this process started many years ago with the ideas of Geohosting and Uniform Resource Management. Objectives of Geohosting was to offer services supporting the creation of a spatial data sharing system with possibility to publish data for any user having access to Web. The system is based on open formats and is open for interaction with other SDI platforms. It could be used in education, but also could be a solution for researchers and small data providers, including developing countries. The main objective of URM was easy description, discovery and validation of relevant information sources. URM ensured that any user can easily discover, evaluate and use relevant information. The free text engine (eg. Google) can’t be used due to the fact that in many cases a user obtains thousands, if not millions, of irrelevant links. This happens because the free text engines does not fully recognise the context of researched information. The context characterises any information, knowledge and observation. Context strongly influences the way how the information will be used. A possibility for solving the discovery problem within a context is to use metadata for standardised description of any information, knowledge, data sources, sensors, etc. In combination with standardised lists of terms (controlled vocabularies or thesaurus, standardised way of geometric location, gazetteers and controlled list of categories), it will increase efficiency of discovery of requested knowledge, information or data sources. Metadata is descriptive information about an object or a resource whether it is physical or electronic. While metadata itself is relatively new, the underlying concepts behind metadata have been used for as long as collections of information have been organized. Library card catalogues represent a well-established type of metadata that has served as collection management and resource discovery tools for decades. The URM concept also allow to access any information stored on one portal with other portals using URM principles.
The principle of URM allows to build "spidernet" SISE infrastructure supporting interconnection of any two portals and effective exchange of information
Geoportal4everybody combine both approaches. It offer possibility of publishing user derived data on community portal, but also share information using metadata catalogues with other portal. It also offers connection with public portal and reuse of information on public portal. We also offer easy integration of such information sources like OpenStreetMap. With development of new desktop solutions, it is possible also connected all infrastructure from desktop solutions. One such example is Janitor system, which already integrate catalogue functionality into desktop system.
New functionality of Geoportal4everybody also include aspects of social network. A social network consists of a finite set or sets of actors and the relation or relations defined on them. The presence of relational information is a critical and defining feature of a social network.”
The focus of the Geoportal4everybody project is on social network sites (e.g Facebook, Twitter) as one of the main dissemination and communication tool.
The Geoportal4everybody will be an entry point for any news (new developments, problematic topics, progress in the project, etc.). News will be posted by the project partners and will be automatically distributed to a number of selected communities – social network sites.
This approach will allow involving other communities from one place without having to enter each community. Users of various social network sites can read entries and comment through their respective communities and don’t have to register elsewhere.
Portal4everybody is in principle also social network offering sharing of information (including spatial] among community. Principle sharing of information among portal also offer support for exchange information amongs communities
GeoPortal4everybody also support utilisation of information from other social networks like SLideshare or Youtube
Other functionality is combining text with interactive maps.
