CommonGIS is an interactive java based geographical information system accessible via the web which provides standard GIS functionality and can be used as a tool for visualisation and exploratory analysis based on geographically referenced statistical data. It is an extension of the thematic mapping software Descartes and was developed through a European Commission funded project (ESPRIT Project nr.28983 'Information Access and Interfaces') undertaken by Team Spatial Decision Support (SPADE), the aim of which was to create an online GIS tool accessible and usable for expert and common users alike.

CommonGIS software has been used by ESDS International to build web-based data exploration and visualisation interfaces to sets of freely available socio-economic international macro data, for example the IMF's World Economic Outlook data and the CIA's World Factbook data. To access the software users only need a Java enabled web browser.

For further information, please see:

• CommonGIS system requirements
• CommonGIS supporting documentation
• CommonGIS FAQs

System requirements

CommonGIS is a java-based software and can be run on Windows or Linux Machines as a Java Applet inside any browser (Java plug in or Microsoft Virtual Machine needed).

See the CommonGIS Products page for further information about the software.

Has been tested by ESDS international on IE 6 and Netscape 7.

If you do have any problems viewing or questions about the ESDS International CommonGIS application, please contact us on international@esds.ac.uk.

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Supporting documentation

A CommonGIS Overview and worked example is available. Please see the User support > User guides : Software guides section for further information.

Definitions of the attributes used in our CommonGIS interfaces can be found at:

• See the CIA World Factbook notes and definitions.
• See the IMF web pages for details of the attributes used in World Economic Outlook data interface.
• See the UN Millennium Development Indicator Goals Metadata.

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