MalaGIS

Sharing GIS Technologies, Resources and News.

GIS professionals often work with OSM (OpenStreetMap) data, which has a strong reputation in the open data domain. However, in recent years, as OSM data continues to expand globally with increasing geographic features, frequent updates, and wide regional distribution, importing and processing OSM data has become highly time-consuming and hardware-intensive. Although the traditional .osm.pbf (Protocolbuffer Binary Format) is widely used, it still faces performance bottlenecks, especially on machines with limited hardware resources. Recently, the GeoDesk team introduced the GOB data format, aiming to improve the efficiency of data distribution and import, making OSM data processing lighter and faster.

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Recently, when downloading data from NASA-related websites, many users have encountered the following message: "Due to the lapse in federal government funding, NASA is not updating this website." Translated, it means: "Due to the lapse in federal government funding, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has suspended updates to this website. We apologize for any inconvenience caused." I tested several websites and found that common ones like NOAA, EarthData, GISS, etc., all display this message. What exactly is happening? And what impact will it have on the vast number of GIS professionals?

Above: Notices on various NASA websites

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Recently (on October 24), the Google Earth team updated their official website, announcing that this upgrade officially integrates the Gemini large model into Google Earth, adding geospatial reasoning capabilities. This transforms it from a platform primarily displaying satellite images into an intelligent geospatial analysis platform that can understand and respond to natural language queries.

Geospatial Reasoning

To solve complex problems, one must see the big picture. This is the concept behind "Geospatial Reasoning," a framework powered by Gemini that now enables AI to automatically connect different Earth AI models—such as weather forecasting, population maps, and satellite imagery—to answer complex questions.

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Earlier, we shared resources for Global Mapper Pro v25.1. Coincidentally, right after installation, Global Mapper Pro v26.2 was released. So, we uninstalled the freshly installed v25.1 and reinstalled v26.2. The installation is relatively straightforward, and the new version offers more features and greater convenience. Friends in need can download and update.

Introduction to Global Mapper Pro v26.2

Global Mapper Pro v26.2 focuses on "user experience enhancement," "visualization/animation capability improvements," and "point cloud/terrain display control enhancements." It caters to both the ease-of-use needs of GIS beginners and provides finer control for advanced lidar/3D analysis users. Key updates include:

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In a previous article "Accessing Pre-Vectorized Trail Data from China's Outdoor Platform: Two Step Road - MalaGIS", I introduced a popular domestic platform for downloading, sharing, and hosting trail data. Many users found it quite useful, but some outdoor enthusiasts raised concerns: what if such a platform shuts down? Would they still be able to safely download their own data? I cannot guarantee that, but if you have such concerns, an open-source trail data management platform called Wanderer is recommended.

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In the previous article, Loading the Geovis Earth Basemap in ArcGIS Pro, ArcMap, and QGIS, I introduced the free Geovis Earth basemap service. Recently, some readers asked whether I could create a tutorial on loading imagery from Siwei Earth.

So I gave it a try — and yes, it technically works (using their free API). However, the imagery turned out to have major positional offsets, making it unsuitable for practical use. Still, the API extraction method itself is quite interesting, so let’s explore it.

PS: If you’re only looking for a usable basemap URL, you can skip this post. I’ve tested it — it doesn’t work properly.

Above: The loaded data shows significant offset issues.

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In the previous article, A Guide to Using Jilin-1 Satellite Imagery as a Basemap in ArcGIS Pro, I introduced the Jilin-1 basemap service as an alternative to China’s Tianditu maps for ArcGIS Pro users. Many readers asked whether there are other map sources available. Today, let’s look at another excellent basemap provider — Geovis Earth.

PS: I’ve actually mentioned Geovis Earth several times in earlier posts. Back then, with so many international basemap options, few paid attention. However, after ArcGIS Pro Services Blocked in China? Chinese Users Are in Trouble..., the number of stable and accessible basemap services in China has significantly decreased. In this context, Geovis Earth has become a great alternative.

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Many users have reported that after switching to the Tianditu basemap in the China region of ArcGIS Pro, some imagery appears unclear and there are limited style options. Well, given the particular nature of our industry and the strict requirements for data legality and compliance, if data confidentiality is a concern, it is strongly recommended not to use map sources outside the China region. So, are there any other Chinese map sources available? Of course, I found a basemap service with decent clarity: the Jilin-1 map source. It offers a free usage quota for individuals, and I highly recommend it.

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Following recent announcements from the Ministry of State Security and the service suspension of ArcGIS Pro basemaps, many users have suggested switching to QGIS. However, does using QGIS truly ensure security and compliance? After several days of research, this article attempts to explore this issue and welcomes further discussion.

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In the previous article "ArcGIS Pro Basemap Service Access Issues in China and Solutions", we discussed the unavailability of ArcGIS Pro basemap services within China. One of the suggested solutions was to wait for an official fix. Surprisingly, the ArcGIS Pro team acted swiftly. Just yesterday (2025-09-18), upon opening ArcGIS Pro, the basemap services were already functioning normally again.

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