GeoRSS
Encyclopedia
GeoRSS is an emerging standard for encoding location as part of a Web feed
. (Web feeds are used to describe feeds ("channels") of content, such as news articles, Audio blogs
, video blogs
and text blog
entries. These web feed
s are rendered by programs such as aggregators and web browser
s.) The name "GeoRSS" is derived from RSS
, the most known Web feed
and syndication format.
In GeoRSS, location content consists of geographical points, lines, and polygons of interest and related feature descriptions. GeoRSS feeds are designed to be consumed by geographic software such as map generators. By building these encodings on a common information model, the GeoRSS collaboration is promoting interoperability and "upwards-compatibility" across encodings.
At this point, the GeoRSS collaboration has completed work on two primary encodings that are called GeoRSS Geography Markup Language
(GML) and GeoRSS Simple. GeoRSS-Simple is a very lightweight format that supports basic geometries (point, line, box, polygon) and covers the typical use cases when encoding locations. GeoRSS GML is a formal Open Geospatial Consortium
(OGC) GML Application Profile, and supports a greater range of features than GeoRSS Simple, notably coordinate reference systems other than WGS84
latitude/longitude. There is also a W3C
GeoRSS serialization, which is older and partly deprecated but still the most widely used.
GeoRSS can be used to extend both RSS 1.0 and 2.0, as well as Atom
, the IETF
's latest standard for feeds.
Here is a schema fragment for a GeoRSS GML encoding for RSS 2.0
Here is example of W3C geo GeoRSS
Usage and implementation
Open source projects
Products
Fun Sites Based on GeoRSS
Web feed
A web feed is a data format used for providing users with frequently updated content. Content distributors syndicate a web feed, thereby allowing users to subscribe to it. Making a collection of web feeds accessible in one spot is known as aggregation, which is performed by an aggregator...
. (Web feeds are used to describe feeds ("channels") of content, such as news articles, Audio blogs
MP3 blog
An MP3 blog is a type of blog in which the creator makes music files, normally in the MP3 format, available for download. They are also known as "musicblogs" or "audioblogs". MP3 blogs have become increasingly popular since 2003...
, video blogs
Vlog
Video blogging, sometimes shortened to vlogging or vidding or vidblogging is a form of blogging for which the medium is video, and is a form of Web television. Entries often combine embedded video or a video link with supporting text, images, and other metadata. Entries can be recorded in one take...
and text blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
entries. These web feed
Web feed
A web feed is a data format used for providing users with frequently updated content. Content distributors syndicate a web feed, thereby allowing users to subscribe to it. Making a collection of web feeds accessible in one spot is known as aggregation, which is performed by an aggregator...
s are rendered by programs such as aggregators and web browser
Web browser
A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
s.) The name "GeoRSS" is derived from RSS
RSS
-Mathematics:* Root-sum-square, the square root of the sum of the squares of the elements of a data set* Residual sum of squares in statistics-Technology:* RSS , "Really Simple Syndication" or "Rich Site Summary", a family of web feed formats...
, the most known Web feed
Web feed
A web feed is a data format used for providing users with frequently updated content. Content distributors syndicate a web feed, thereby allowing users to subscribe to it. Making a collection of web feeds accessible in one spot is known as aggregation, which is performed by an aggregator...
and syndication format.
In GeoRSS, location content consists of geographical points, lines, and polygons of interest and related feature descriptions. GeoRSS feeds are designed to be consumed by geographic software such as map generators. By building these encodings on a common information model, the GeoRSS collaboration is promoting interoperability and "upwards-compatibility" across encodings.
At this point, the GeoRSS collaboration has completed work on two primary encodings that are called GeoRSS Geography Markup Language
Geography Markup Language
The Geography Markup Language is the XML grammar defined by the Open Geospatial Consortium to express geographical features. GML serves as a modeling language for geographic systems as well as an open interchange format for geographic transactions on the Internet...
(GML) and GeoRSS Simple. GeoRSS-Simple is a very lightweight format that supports basic geometries (point, line, box, polygon) and covers the typical use cases when encoding locations. GeoRSS GML is a formal Open Geospatial Consortium
Open Geospatial Consortium
The Open Geospatial Consortium , an international voluntary consensus standards organization, originated in 1994. In the OGC, more than 400 commercial, governmental, nonprofit and research organizations worldwide collaborate in a consensus process encouraging development and implementation of open...
(OGC) GML Application Profile, and supports a greater range of features than GeoRSS Simple, notably coordinate reference systems other than WGS84
World Geodetic System
The World Geodetic System is a standard for use in cartography, geodesy, and navigation. It comprises a standard coordinate frame for the Earth, a standard spheroidal reference surface for raw altitude data, and a gravitational equipotential surface that defines the nominal sea level.The latest...
latitude/longitude. There is also a W3C
Geography Markup Language
The Geography Markup Language is the XML grammar defined by the Open Geospatial Consortium to express geographical features. GML serves as a modeling language for geographic systems as well as an open interchange format for geographic transactions on the Internet...
GeoRSS serialization, which is older and partly deprecated but still the most widely used.
GeoRSS can be used to extend both RSS 1.0 and 2.0, as well as Atom
Atom (standard)
The name Atom applies to a pair of related standards. The Atom Syndication Format is an XML language used for web feeds, while the Atom Publishing Protocol is a simple HTTP-based protocol for creating and updating web resources.Web feeds allow software programs to check for updates published on a...
, the IETF
Internet Engineering Task Force
The Internet Engineering Task Force develops and promotes Internet standards, cooperating closely with the W3C and ISO/IEC standards bodies and dealing in particular with standards of the TCP/IP and Internet protocol suite...
's latest standard for feeds.
Examples
Here's a GeoRSS Simple example using Atom.Here is a schema fragment for a GeoRSS GML encoding for RSS 2.0
Here is example of W3C geo GeoRSS
Examples of GeoRSS Implementations
Example feeds- Trip-Assist, Carpool Rideshare Portal (GeoRSS GML encoding for RSS 2.0)
- Earthpublisher, Press Releases around the world (W3C GeoRSS)
- GeoNetwork opensourceGeoNetwork opensourceThe GeoNetwork opensource project is a free and open source cataloging application for spatially referenced resources. It is a catalog of location-oriented information.-Outline:...
: Simple and GML -feeds. - USGS Real-time, worldwide earthquake list for the past 7 days (W3C GeoRSS)
Usage and implementation
- Google MapsGoogle MapsGoogle Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...
: Google Maps API blog posting on Google support for the Simple, GML, and W3C Geo encodings of GeoRSS - Yahoo Maps, a reference on using GeoRSS in the Yahoo Maps Web Services.
- Virtual EarthVirtual earthVirtual earth may refer to:* Virtual ground - the node of an electrical circuit that is maintained at a steady reference potential, without being connected directly to the reference potential....
: Microsoft Virtual Earth support for GeoRSS geo, simple, and GML. - GeoPress WordPress and MovableType plugins for adding GeoRSS to your blog.
- GeoRSS Module Drupal module for adding GeoRSS to your Drupal website.
- Mapufacture GeoRSS Feed Aggregator.
- MapQuest MapQuest Embeddable Map using GeoRSS Feed
- CitySurf GlobeCitySurf GlobeCitySurf Globe is a family of Geography 2.0 Geographical Information System software, developed by PiriReis Bilişim Teknolojileri, known as a new model in mapping servers and interaction with the final user....
3D Virtual Globe Software using GeoRSS Feed
Open source projects
- OpenLayers Demo using the OpenLayers GeoRSS parser. GeoRSS geo and simple are supported.
- Worldkit Both GeoRSS Simple and GeoRSS GML are supported.
- GeoServerGeoServerIn computing, GeoServer - an open-source server written in Java - allows users to share and edit geospatial data. Designed for interoperability, it publishes data from any major spatial data source using open standards...
- The OGR LibraryGDALGDAL is a library for reading and writing raster geospatial data formats, and is released under the permissive X/MIT style free software license by the Open Source Geospatial Foundation. As a library, it presents a single abstract data model to the calling application for all supported formats...
provides support for read and write access to GeoRSS data.
Products
- Cadcorp GeoRSS built into Cadcorp SIS.
- CubeWerx WFS The new release of the CubeWerx OGC Web Feature Service product supports GeoRSS GML.
- Ionic/Leica Geosystems The use of GeoRSS in Ionic redSpider products
- Bay of Islands Contains GeoRSS information about local accommodation
- MarkLogic Provides support for geospatial queries using GeoRSS/Simple markup.
Fun Sites Based on GeoRSS
See also
- Geospatial Content Management SystemGeospatial Content Management SystemA Geospatial Content Management System is a Content Management System where objects can have a Latitude, Longitude position to be displayed on an online interactive map...
- Atom (standard)Atom (standard)The name Atom applies to a pair of related standards. The Atom Syndication Format is an XML language used for web feeds, while the Atom Publishing Protocol is a simple HTTP-based protocol for creating and updating web resources.Web feeds allow software programs to check for updates published on a...
, the IETF's XML-based Web syndication format. - RSSRSS-Mathematics:* Root-sum-square, the square root of the sum of the squares of the elements of a data set* Residual sum of squares in statistics-Technology:* RSS , "Really Simple Syndication" or "Rich Site Summary", a family of web feed formats...
- Really Simple Syndication.
External links
- Georss.org, web site for GeoRSS specifications (describes all 3 encodings) and examples
- OGC Whitepaper (pdf), Open Geospatial Consortium: An Introduction to GeoRSS.
- Last Accidents in the World on GeoRSS, Example use GeoRSS.