MalaGIS

Sharing GIS Technologies, Resources and News.

Another major GIS company appears to have encountered security issues. The incident occurred on July 25th. While casually browsing the Spicy GIS group chat, our editor noticed a member sharing a link with the caption "XX got hacked." Initially, the editor didn't pay much attention, assuming it was just another prank like the "Crazy Thursday send me 50" meme. About a week later, on August 2nd, the editor accidentally clicked that link and was surprised to discover that the website genuinely seemed to have been compromised.

Admittedly, the initial discovery was shocking—this is one of China's top-tier GIS companies after all. It highlights that security concerns should be a priority for organizations regardless of size; even the largest companies can have critical oversights.

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As professionals in the GIS (Geographic Information System) field, we engage with geographical data, spatial analysis, and visualization technologies daily. Recently, I discovered an impressive website called "No Days Off" on HackerNews. Developed by friggeri using 10 years of daily running GPX files, this site functions as a sophisticated "personal running GIS system," showcasing remarkable professionalism and engagement. I'm fascinated by such innovative projects and would like to share its details.

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QGIS 3.44 has now been officially released. I downloaded and tried it out immediately. For Windows users, QGIS 3.44 offers both a test version with Qt6 support ("Latest Version for Windows (3.44) with Qt6 (experimental)") and the standard 3.44 version ("Latest Version for Windows (3.44)").

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Recent viral news reports claim that during an India-Pakistan air skirmish on May 8, a Chinese-made J-10C fighter jet shot down five jets (including French Rafales) and two drones. While unverified by official sources (Observer Network cited), the internet erupted with memes. One standout:

"At home, I tolerate being called a nobody. Abroad, address me as 'The Printer'."

The GIS Connection

Beyond the memes lies a fascinating GIS link. The downed "Rafale" jets were manufactured by Dassault Aviation—a subsidiary of Groupe Dassault. Crucially, Dassault Systèmes, a global leader in 3D design software, originated from Dassault Aviation's engineering team. Its founding mission: developing advanced modeling tools to optimize aerospace design workflows.

J-10C fighter jet (Image source: Observer Network)

Dassault Rafale fighter (Image source: Dassault Aviation)

This connects directly to GIS/BIM. Dassault Systèmes' 3DEXPERIENCE platform powers major Chinese enterprises:

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A colleague recently asked me about a well-known domestic GIS company. Having no direct experience, I inquired in the MalaGIS discussion group. While initial conversations focused on company benefits and salaries, someone discovered an unexpected issue when visiting the company's official website: a certain link led to inappropriate content.

Note: Screenshots would normally be included but cannot be shown for compliance reasons.

As a technical writer, I believe such issues deserve deeper analysis beyond mere observation.

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Recently, a screenshot from a Wuhan-based company's website went viral across Chinese social platforms. When I attempted to visit their official site (https://www.focuz-in.com), access was already restricted. However, the internet never forgets—through digital archaeology using the Wayback Machine, I recovered the controversial page:

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While browsing NASA resources, I discovered an intriguing tool called "Your Name In Landsat". This creative application transforms text into satellite imagery mosaics - a perfect diversion as we approach the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Example output: "malagis" spelled with Landsat imagery

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