Esri and an OGC Standard
So there is a ton of talk about Esri’s REST API trying to become an OGC standard on Twitter. We mentioned it on my hangout yesterday and it’s still a hot topic. Here are some bullet points.
- OGC exists to help software vendors, open source projects, contractors market to the federal government. There is no altruistic goal other than to make money.
- OGC standards are standard only in the world of contracts. Just because Esri gets their REST API “blessed” doesn’t make it worth using any more than it was before.
- Esri submitted their REST API to OGC so they could use it in federal contracts instead of existing OGC standards which nobody uses.
- Esri REST API won’t be used outside of Esri software so it really doesn’t matter.
- Esri’s consulting arm is competing with all of us. Beware as they’ll squeeze you out the minute they can.
- OGC standards suck so that’s why people are always proposing new ones. By next year there will be another “standard” coming up that will replace Esri’s.
- The simple fact that there is a proposal for “OGCJSON” should tell you all you need to know about these standards.
- Esri exists to make money, that’s OK as I work for the same reasons. Just don’t wrap their business model up with saving the world.
- KML is the only OGC Standard people actually use. The rest are check boxes on a form.
Don’t get emotional about OGC standards. That’s what they want, people to actually start caring.
Mission Accomplished
Esri and an OGC Standard
So there is a ton of talk about Esri’s REST API trying to become an OGC standard on Twitter. We mentioned it on my hangout yesterday and it’s still a hot topic. Here are some bullet points.
- OGC exists to help software vendors, open source projects, contractors market to the federal government. There is no altruistic goal other than to make money.
- OGC standards are standard only in the world of contracts. Just because Esri gets their REST API “blessed” doesn’t make it worth using any more than it was before.
- Esri submitted their REST API to OGC so they could use it in federal contracts instead of existing OGC standards which nobody uses.
- Esri REST API won’t be used outside of Esri software so it really doesn’t matter.
- Esri’s consulting arm is competing with all of us. Beware as they’ll squeeze you out the minute they can.
- OGC standards suck so that’s why people are always proposing new ones. By next year there will be another “standard” coming up that will replace Esri’s.
- The simple fact that there is a proposal for “OGCJSON” should tell you all you need to know about these standards.
- Esri exists to make money, that’s OK as I work for the same reasons. Just don’t wrap their business model up with saving the world.
- KML is the only OGC Standard people actually use. The rest are check boxes on a form.
Don’t get emotional about OGC standards. That’s what they want, people to actually start caring.
Mission Accomplished
Hangouts with James Fee:: Live from the Airport
Steve Citron-Pousty joined me to talk about some of the latest trends in the spatial world. We hit on Google Glass, Esri, Frameworks, housing prices, travel, iD and OSM, naming stadiums, and of course being in an airport. The IRC log is here.
Hangouts with James Fee:: Live from the Airport
Steve Citron-Pousty joined me to talk about some of the latest trends in the spatial world. We hit on Google Glass, Esri, Frameworks, housing prices, travel, iD and OSM, naming stadiums, and of course being in an airport. The IRC log is here.
This Week’s Hangout with Steve Citron-Pousty
This week’s hangout should be fun. Steve C-P joins me to talk about the latest trends in the spatial world. We’re going to have fun and crowdsource the topics. If there is something you’d like to see talked about tomorrow, just add it to this Gist.
As always, we go live at 11am PDT and the video will stream live here on this blog.
This Week’s Hangout with Steve Citron-Pousty
This week’s hangout should be fun. Steve C-P joins me to talk about the latest trends in the spatial world. We’re going to have fun and crowdsource the topics. If there is something you’d like to see talked about tomorrow, just add it to this Gist.
As always, we go live at 11am PDT and the video will stream live here on this blog.