Programming and GIS why to why not?
Salman Atif
Associate Professor @ NUST | Geography, Spatial Analysis, Realtime systems, Spatial database, Remote Sensing, Geomorphology, Anthropology, Cartography
Over the years, as a professor in Geography and Natural Environment and subsequently GeoInformatics, I have seen a desire among young students to learn to code. While this is commendable at so many levels, this might just be not very necessary. For those who cannot code, tend to lag behind and remain low in self esteem.
Why do I say so? First and foremost, I find many GIS professionals and professionals to be misunderstand the basic definition of the subject and submit to the very uneasy definition of it, referring to it as, "GIS is a toolbox". While many can argue in favour of it, it certain is far more than that in today's world.
I must highlight that GIS is neither a programming nor a data analysis science, but it is a science far brighter, and broader. It takes into account the elements of human computer interaction, cartography, software design, communication, psychology, user centrality to name a few and of course the fast growing inclusion of Geo Artificial Intelligence.
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It therefore is not a mere subject that requires you to make maps, or websites that can host map data. It definitely requires one to learn far more and far better than that. A map might not be of any use, if the necessary aesthetics have been addressed, nor would it be worthwhile if the choice of platform is absurd. I have seen many map makers, choose platforms and programming languages based on mere ease of implementation, than the verstality that alternatives can add to a map.
I would therefore want to encourage cartographers, GI professionals and new users to understand, that it is important to not associate a subject area to a mere few basic skills, but to understand and internalise its broader dimensions.
Co-Founder & Director Engineering at Jugrafiya | GeoInformatics Engineer | Problem Solver
11 个月While I agree with the statement that 'GIS does not mean programming' and one can certainly pursue the field without ever having to write a single line of code, in my humble opinion, the greatest value one can derive from this exciting field is by combining it with Computer Science. As mentioned in your own article, applications such as 'Cartography,' 'Communication,' 'Software design' (it's literally in the name), and the fast-growing inclusion of Geo Artificial Intelligence highlight the diverse possibilities. Regardless of the core GIS techniques, platform, or GIS knowledge used to create the maps, the optimal value is derived by making it accessible, interactive, dynamic, and easy to analyze for as many users as possible. To achieve this, the integration of computer science is paramount. Thus, I encourage all GIS professionals to acquire some form of programming knowledge and blend it with their existing core GIS expertise to propel it to the next level.
Geoinformatics Engineer | NUST'23
1 年Wow! This was totally unorthodox, thanks for putting it up, sir????
Serving Academics and Assessment
1 年Keep shining my son