Types of GIS

Types of GIS 
The following GIS types are not
necessarily mutually exclusive and a GIS application can be always classified under more
than one type.
2.1 Four-dimensional GIS
While spatio-temporal georepresentations can handle two dimensions of
space and one of time, four-dimensional GIS are designed for three dimensions of space and one
of time.
2.2 Multimedia/hypermedia GIS
Multimedia/hypermedia GIS allow the user to access a wide range of georeferenced
multimedia data (e.g., simulations, sounds and videos) by selecting resources from a
georeferenced image map base. A map serving as the primary index to multimedia data in a
multimedia geo-representation is termed a hypermap. Multimedia and virtual georepresentations
can be stored either in extended relational databases, object databases or in
application-specific data stores.
2.3 Web GIS
Widespread access to the Internet, the ubiquity of browsers and the explosion of
commodified geographic information has made it possible to develop new forms of multimedia
geo-representations on the Web.
Many current geomatics solutions are Web-based overtaking the traditional Desktop
environment and most future ones are expected to follow the same direction.
2.4 Virtual Reality GIS
Virtual Reality GIS have been developed to allow the creation, manipulation
and exploration of geo-referenced virtual environments, e.g., using VRML modelling
(Virtual Reality Modelling Language). Virtual Reality GIS can be also Web-based. Applications
include 3D simulation for planning (to experiment with different scenarios).