Surveying, GPS, Digitization - A Primer of GIS: Fundamental Geographic and Cartographic Concepts - page 150

these laws regulate access to GI (and other types of information created by the
government). In Europe recently the Freedom of Information Act has led to a
number of attempts to acquire GI from government agencies. The INSPIRE
project should also increase the availability of geographic information. This is
still a cumbersome process and may not lead to the desired results if parallels
to the open records laws can be made. For example, digital access in an open
record law may be sufficient (legally) if people can come to a government
office and sit down at a computer and access the data. This is access, but not
necessarily the access to the original GI on a different computer that most peo-
ple might expect. In this, and similar, ways copyright often becomes a way to
protect resources, rather than motivate the creation and dissemination of
ideas.
Review Questions
1. What specific steps does the systematic collection of positional loca-
tion entail?
2. Under what circumstances is surveying legally regulated?
3. What instruments are commonly used today for surveying?
4. What instruments are used traditionally for surveying?
5. What legal issue must be considered before using existing GI?
6. Where is the use of GPS less accurate?
7. Which accuracies does GPS support?
8. How should geographic representation and cartographic representa-
tion be taken into account for data collection?
9. How can generalized GI and maps affect positional accuracy?
10. What are common sources for existing GI?
Answers
1. What does the systematic collection of positional location involve?
The systematic collection of positional location and other attributes is an
organized activity using known coordinate systems and procedures for
attribute collection based on geographic representation and cartographic
representation.
2. Under what circumstances is surveying legally regulated?
Generally surveying is legally regulated when it involves the collection of
location information used for purposes or activities with possible immedi-
ate public safety consequences.
3. What instruments are commonly used today for surveying?
Total stations, GPS (GNSS), and laser range finders are among the most
common.
4. What instruments are used traditionally for surveying?
The theodelite, measuring tapes, rods, and plane tables were traditionally
used.