How InteractiveGIS Uses Open Source - And How Our Customers Benefit
At InteractiveGIS, we rely on Open Source software—and we’re proud of it. We use MapServer, a software application developed by NASA and released to the public under an Open Source licensing agreement, as the core spatial engine that powers our maps and databases.
Open Source software isn’t just good for our company—it’s great for our clients. Here are just a few of the benefits Open Source software brings to the organizations we work with.
Lower cost. One of the biggest benefits of Open Source software is the difference in cost. Our use of Open Source software means we can charge significantly less than proprietary software companies do--some of our clients see savings of $25,000 or more.
Commercial GIS software companies charge thousands simply for the price of their software. Compare that to InteractiveGIS. Most of our software is Open Source and completely free of charge. In addition, many of the expensive add-ons you could pay thousands for with the commercial companies come free with us.
Simply put, we save a bundle using and modifying free Open Source software—software that adheres to the same standards commercial software uses —and we pass those savings on to you.
Greater flexibility. Our competitors go through an exhaustive process to make even the smallest modifications to their standard package. We can make the same changes within days—sometimes within hours.
In addition, we don’t charge high prices for customization—in many cases, we don’t charge at all. This gives our clients the flexibility to order a completely customized GIS package that suits their needs perfectly—without going over-budget.
Endless innovation. We rely on the Open Source community for inspiration and programming innovation. If we can’t find a solution, someone in our network of thousands of programmers around the world can. Our connections with the Open Source community allow us to back up the promise we make to our customers: if you can imagine it, we can program for it.
Compatibility. MapServer relies on MySQL, PostgreSQL, and their Open Source extensions to operate. But that doesn’t mean it can’t operate with proprietary formats as well. MapServer is fully compatible with popular proprietary file formats, including Shapefile. This allows our clients to migrate their data seamlessly over to our system— without losing any data.