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A review of the environmental resource mapping system and a proof that it is impossible to write a general algorithm for analysing interactions between organisms distributed at locations described by a locationally linked database and physical properties recorded within the database

The Environmental Resource Mapping System (E-RMS) is a geographic information system (GIS) that is used by the National Parks and Wildlife Service to assist in management of national parks. The package is available commercially from the Service and is used by other government departments for environmental management. E-RMS has also been present in Australian Universities and used for academic work for a number of years. This thesis demonstrates that existing procedures for product quality and performance have not been followed in the production of the package and that the package and therefore much of the work undertaken with the package is fundamentally flawed. The E-RMS software contains and produces a number of serious mistakes. Several problems are identified and discussed in this thesis. As a result of the shortcomings, the author recommends that an enquiry be conducted to investigate *1/ The technical feasibility of each project for which the E-RMS package has been used; *2/ The full extent and consequences of the failings inherent with the package; and *3/ The suitability of the E-RMS GIS package for the purposes for which it is sold. Australian Standard 3898 requires that the purpose, functions and limitations of consumer software shall be described. To comply with this standard, users of the E-RMS package would have to be informed of several factors related to it. These are discussed in the research. Failure to consider the usefulness and extractable nature of information in any GIS database will inevitably lead to problems that may endanger the phenomena that the GIS is designed to protect. / Master of Applied Science (Environmental Science)

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/182361
Date January 1994
CreatorsHall, Bryan, University of Western Sydney, Faculty of Science and Technology, School of Science
Source SetsAustraliasian Digital Theses Program
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
SourceTHESIS_FST_SS_Hall_B.xml

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