Geographic Information System (GIS) is a Computer Aided Decision Support and Planning Tool, which integrate data from maps and other auxiliary information for a geographical area of interest. This is a rapidly advancing computer based technology where information is organized, analysed and presented with reference to a location. This technology is to handle large amount of spatial and non-spatial data integrated with each other.

Platform Independent & Database Independent GIS Application

A robust generic Platform Independent & Database Independent GIS Application is being developed by C-DAC. This application software is among one of the pioneering GIS (Geographic Information System) products that are designed specifically to run on most of the platforms.

Keeping the requirement of decision makers and planners, a flexible system shows its requirement to integrate attribute and geographic data. This demands the ability to acquire, manage, analyze and present geographic information in a single environment. Today‘s scenario is towards the generality, the concept of independence comes in picture i.e. independence in the Platform it requires to run. So it is desirable to have a product that can be run on different computer architecture be it a system on Linux, Windows (9X / 2000 / NT / XP) or any other platform. Rather expanding in different products for different environment, it is to expand once in a product that can run on different operating environment. Such a tool will provide the following salient features to any application

• Platform Independent
  
• Database independent
  
• Multi Layered map(s) enabled
  
• Multileveled (Macro to Micro) Viewing
  
• Basic Map operations (zooming / pan etc)
  
• Thematic Mapping
  
• Non-Spatial Analyzer
  
• Enhanced Map Model