Lab #3: Neogeography

より大きな地図で McDonald's Along the I-5 を表示

Neogeography is a new interactive medium to retrieve and compile information. An example of an interactive source is Wikipedia, which is constantly under revision and being renewed as virtually anyone can contribute knowledge. In the realm of geography, “Mashups” such as store locators and route planners/calculators help increase our spatial awareness while aiding us in living more efficiently. The potential of neogeography is limitless as anyone with internet access has the ability to create or contribute to a map. Any store, any park, virtually any place in the world will be available to search for, along with Information on location, appearance, and how to get there will also be available.

A potential pitfall of neogeography is the decline in reliability in the information presented. When anyone with internet access can potentially edit or alter information, one must be careful not to place too much emphasis on the legitimacy of the facts presented. The responsibility associated with volunteered geographic information is significantly less than GIS presented information. A sense of media literacy and heightened awareness/attention is required to avoid these potential pitfalls of neogeography.

One consequence of neogeography is that there is an increase in accessibility of informational maps. More types of maps are now accessed by a wider audience. Convenience has also increased immensely, as “paperless” maps provide for easier and faster searches. Authority of the professional map makers have decreased, since virtually anyone can be a geographer now and provide their own information. This authority though, hasn’t completely disappeared as professional maps are still viewed as more reliable.