The Globe to Gates Newsletter will cover geospatial computing from end-to-end. Let’s imagine the world as a globe. How can we capture all the processes–all of what is happening on the globe–in software and hardware? This is the essence of geospatial computing. To capture the happenings.
Let’s start by dividing the spectrum of topics into three stacks.
At the top, we have the real world. We all live in this big world filled with major societal and environmental challenges. It is messy. It is complex. It has a lot going on. In order to make sense of all of these processes we build abstractions. Specifically, we build spatial models and methods. We hope these models and methods will simplify the chaos and illuminate what is going on. We hope to use these models and methods to gain insights into all the happenings.
To turn a model or method from an abstract concept to something we can use, we implement them in software. We use software tools such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS). We use software libraries and packages such as the Geospatial Data Abstraction Library (GDAL). Libraries and tools hide the complexities in programming software.
Below those libraries, we have high-level programming languages such as Python and R. One step down, we have low-level languages such as C and C++ that promise better performance with the cost of more programming pain. At the bottom of the software stack is Assembly Language (ASM). It is the language that chips understand. Assembly code is the interface between software and hardware.
At the very bottom we have hardware. Chips sit at the top of the hardware stack. Central Processing Units (CPUs), Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), and more exotic units and architectures provide a way to process ASM code. These chips are built using a combination of circuits. Finally, the circuits are constructed using the lowest level component in the stack: logic gates. Literally the AND’s and OR’s. The 1’s and 0’s of all computing technologies.
In this newsletter, we will explore everything facet of geospatial computing from Globe to Gates. Together, we will look at the exciting potential of new technologies and techniques. We will bask in the frustrating pitfalls when trying to capture the world out there in software and hardware.
This newsletter is an exciting new venture for me. So allow me to introduce myself. I am Eric Shook. I am a geospatial computing enthusiast and an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography, Environment, and Society at the University of Minnesota. I started my journey by building a small compute cluster in my parent’s basement and dorm room. I enjoyed providing IT and high-performance computing support throughout my schooling. I have a background in Computer Science and Geographic Information Science. I love coffee and computing. I hope you join the Globe to Gates group.
What will you get?
A fresh glance at the geospatial world through a computing lens.
No kool-aid. Balanced stories looking at the good, bad, and ugly behind commercial to open source and education to research.
Technology from high-level views around the globe to deep dives down to logic gate levels.
End-to-end exploration. Educational how-tos for first-timers and impactful research for pros.
Are you ready for something more than GIS, shapefiles, and tools in a toolbox? Join the Globe to Gates group today. Because, we're going beyond geographic information.