FindU.com
Post date: Aug 04, 2013 3:34:24 PM
findU is a database archiving weather, position, telemetry, and message data. The primary source of data is an amateur radio system called APRS, some weather data comes from an internet based system called the Citizen Weather Observer Program. This large (58 GB) database is hosted on two servers using data replication techniques. the data is constantly updated (about 20 new reports come in every second), and is accessed via a number of dynamic web pages. Some examples:
Is the source code available?
No. Commercialization is the primary reason I've not open-sourced my code. I've gotten a surprising number of requests from persons inside the GIS industry to either give or sell them my code, or consult for them. After looking at a lot of the commercial systems, the entire APRS system really holds its own, and on many counts including (in-my-not-so-humble-opinion) findU, it is better than anything else out there. Winning the Earthlink AVL competition to me was objective confirmation of this opinion. If my code were GPL'ed, it would probably be used in commercial systems. I get my satisfaction from producing a useful system that does cool things, and letting people use it for free.
APRS is a registered trademark of APRS Software and Bob Bruninga, WB4APR.