Factor/Trend

Towards a consistent, coherent information model for the Net

Java supports the notion that everything can be an object with well-defined interfaces. Java™/Jini™ provide the means to distribute objects over the Net. This makes it easier to model the earth in a distributed fashion, while maintaining a consistent, coherent model through appropriate geospatial standards – OGC.

"Coopetition" (cooperation between competitors)

Java’s broad industry acceptance as a preferred core technology for the Net makes it a good candidate for the global geospatial standards framework. Furthermore, Java’s benefits in software productivity, interoperability with mainstream IT technologies, cross-platform independence, etc., make it ideally suited for the geospatial industry to broadly leverage itself and more quickly reach its goal of ubiquitous geoprocessing.

Rapid product cycle times

The Java Platform moves us away from centralized design to design by many, thus distributing development workloads more effectively. The breadth and robustness of the core Java Foundation Classes allows developers to get their applications developed more quickly. JavaBeans and Enterprise JavaBeans provide an unlimited extensibility framework for sharing reusable components across the geospatial industry.

Convergence of TV, PC and the telephone

Jini environments treat all digital devices the same, as intelligent objects, capable of using one another’s services. Such a universal standard for distributed device interoperability will bring GeoJava object intelligence to all devices in the home, home office, automobile, hotel room, etc.

Emergence of virtual communities

V

irtual communities share. They share everything and anything. Java objects can be anything. GeoJava objects will find their way into thousands of virtual communities, for myriad location-based information services. The broad availability of Java Platforms, coupled with Java’s object portability and interoperability, will facilitate ease of use of GeoJava objects, leading to broad user acceptance.

Increased data mining

The Java Platform facilitates data mining applications through JavaBeans that integrate legacy systems and databases. The JavaBean component model will make it easy to build data mining applications that must deal with a wide variety of data sources and algorithms for fusing and analyzing these data. Additionally, Java-enabled data mining "agents" will be dispatched around the Net on a vast number of missions to search, filter, package, and return valuable information. Standardized GeoJava objects will add geo-intelligence to the standard portfolio of data miners. Increasingly, new GeoJava decision aids will emerge and be readily disseminated and assimilated into the management, planning and operations environments of enterprises.

Commoditization; Falling prices

Java moves us closer to a Net&Object-Centric world. The Net offers greater accessibility to everyone. Java objects provide convenient packaging and distribution. As the global geospatial infrastructure grows, more geospatial objects will enter the realm of the Net. The result: deflation.

Customer loyalty and churn

Java technology will improve geospatial products and services, lessening customer churn. The industry will also be able to respond more quickly to market needs and easily add new geo-intelligent services to their portfolios.

Emergence of intelligent devices

Java/Jini provide support for embedded device (object) intelligence and distributed devices (objects). Jini’s spontaneous nature allows intelligent devices to easily join a network and be instantly recognized and exploited, or exploit the services of other devices (objects) on the network. Jini also supports intelligent agent portability, the way to easily extend the reach of an intelligent device. GeoJava objects will play an important role in embedded systems by spatially-enabling them for a variety of applications. Of particular interest are the applications of GeoJava in mobile consumer and business devices.

Rise of Net portals

Net portals attract the majority of the consumers and small businesses. They are crucial distribution channels to the future of ubiquitous geoprocessing. The portal companies are very Net-savvy and often change their business models, underlying technology, and offerings on the fly, as necessary to accommodate market changes. Java is a core technology for these companies. Java-compatibility will be crucial for easily introducing new services and products offered by the geospatial industry into these lucrative environments.

Rise of distributed, portable, modular and extensible information system architectures

Java/Jini have inherent, pseudo-organic qualities that make them particularly well suited for this new architecture paradigm for the new information economy. You might say, in a nutshell, that this is exactly what Java/Jini are about.

Rise of e-commerce

Countless businesses are entering the e-commerce realm. The progressive, new technologies of e-commerce are built with the best available core technologies today, including Java and Java Platform. GeoJava resources will become standard tools in this expanding market, offering location-based information to shoppers, supporting geo-intelligent targeted advertising, or giving smart shoppers geo-intelligent agents to discover what local providers offer.

The dynamic enterprise

Changing business models in a rapidly changing environment require flexible business processes and infrastructure. Java supports highly scalable business systems that can grow and adapt as a business shifts its emphasis and needs. Enterprise JavaBeans provide the ultimate in flexibility, making it easy to assimilate new business functions (objects). GeoJava objects can easily migrate into the enterprise and be used throughout the enterprise. Jini’s native features support environments of constant change, with autonomous GeoJava devices (objects) coming and going, spontaneously joining and disjoining the network.