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| Gigateway
Newsletter - March 2006 |
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Beta version of MetaGenie v2.0 available |
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| The long awaited MetaGenie v2.0, our metadata editing tool, is now approaching completion and Stage 2 of the software is now freely available to download and use from the gigateway website. The software was previously expected for delivery in July last year but the delay has been caused by the extra work that was required to incorporate the changes in the UK GEMINI Schema that followed some amendments between the early draft and final draft of ISO 19139. ISO 19139 should be finalised later this year and we do not expect there to be any major changes that could disrupt the final (Stage 3) development work of MetaGenie v2.0 or indeed the efforts of our users if they start using this early release of MetaGenie v2.0 now. |
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| One of the main reasons for releasing this beta version of MetaGenie v2.0 was to help us reach our goal of getting metadata from 12 key national dataset providers, as set out in the Gigateway Operating Plan 2005-2006, before the end of March 2006. Many data providers said that they had put off producing metadata with the currently available NGDF compliant MetaGenie tool as they had wrongly assumed that this would incur lots of reworking to get their metadata into MetaGenie v2.0 and be UK GEMINI compliant. |
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| We are pleased to announce that we have now exceeded our target with the following organisations successfully providing us with their updated or new metadata:- English Heritage, English Nature, National Assembly for Wales, Royal Mail, Registers of Scotland, Intelligent Addressing/Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA), DNA Scotland, Scottish Assessors' Association, Electoral Commission, Infoterra/Bluesky International, Scottish Natural Heritage, Countryside Council for Wales and Getmapping. However, we hope that this beta version of MetaGenie v2.0 will allow those other organisations that have delayed the process of creating metadata to also send us their discovery metadata. Please contact info@gigateway.org.uk if you have any queries or need assistance with creating your metadata. |
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| New gigateway guidelines for creating UK GEMINI compliant metadata |
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The Information Services Team has produced some metadata creation guidelines that are intended to help users produce good quality UK GEMINI compliant metadata records. The new guidelines are available here and supersede the NGDF compliant guidelines that were published last year. These new guidelines aim to complement MetaGenie v2.0 by describing the valid entries for each field and by giving plenty of examples. There is a large section dedicated to writing clear and concise abstracts as this is often the first place that users go to when they are trying to decide on which datasets to use. If you would like to make any comments about these guidelines please post them under the 'Guidelines to create UK GEMINI compliant metadata' section on the metadata forum. |
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The future of gigateway |
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| The AGI has been invited by Ordnance Survey and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) to continue operating the gigateway national metadata service until the end of March 2007 whilst ODPM carry out an open procurement exercise to determine the future shape and operation of a metadata service beyond the current arrangements. |
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| The past 7 years of funding, through ODPM's National Interest Mapping Services Agreement (NIMSA), is due to finish at the end of March 2006. This 1 year extension period is very welcome and comes at an interesting time as a national metadata service will be essential under the proposed EU 'INSPIRE' Directive (INfrastructure for SPatial InfoRmation in Europe) that is expected to come into force next year and will help stimulate the UK and other countries in Europe to build a National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). |
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| The AGI believes that ensuring the continued operation and further development of the national GI metadata service is very important, especially in regard to building a NSDI. The AGI would encourage all individuals and organisations to continue supporting the service and providing UK GEMINI compliant metadata by using the new version of MetaGenie v2.0 which is now available to download from the gigateway homepage. |
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| Farewell and good luck! |
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Robert Mann (AGI Director) and Lee West (Information Services Officer) will both be leaving the AGI and saying goodbye to the Information Services Team at the end of March 2006.
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This change comes as we enter the 1 year extension period or 'Care and Maintenance' phase where there will be reduced funding for the gigateway project. These staff changes should not affect our current gigateway users as there will be continued support from Robert Turner who will be the main contact for gigateway from now. However, it will mean that we may be less proactive in comparison to recent years where we ran a series of MetaGenie training events across the country, attended various exhibitions, ran a Gigateway Advisory Group, sent out regular newsletters, promoted gigateway through marketing material and visiting our users.
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Robert has set up his own consulting company, Colchester Mann, and will focus on Interim Management assignments. Lee has secured a permanent GI position with a local authority north of Cambridge where he will be heading up the GIS and LLPG teams. Both will miss working with such good work colleagues and hope the AGI will continue to successfully achieve its mission to 'maximise the use of GI for the benefit of the citizen, good governance and commerce'. |
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Gigateway - Association for Geographic Information - Block C, 4th Floor
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5-23 Old Street – London - EC1V 9HL
Tel: 020 7253 5211 / Fax: 020 7251 4505 / info@gigateway.org.uk
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