INTERNET TECHNOLOGIES AS A DRIVING FORCE OF CHANGE IN CARTOGRAPHY AND GIS

The article explores the nature of the phenomena of web GIS and web cartography, the emergence of which became possible with the invention of the World Wide Web (WWW). For GIS developers, the Internet opened new opportunities for the design and implementation of projects, leading to the development of systems such as spatial data infrastructures (SDI). The success of the web has disappointed only GIS software providers, who faced a new competitor in the form of web cartography. In our opinion, this competition will force some monopolists in the field of GIS tools to reconsider their policies, which will be positively received by the user community. The paradox of cartography in the Web 2.0 era lies in the significant technological advancement and openness on the one hand, and in the serious theoretical gaps on the other, which threaten the very existence of cartography as a science rather than an auxiliary technical discipline. Purpose of the article.To highlight the features of the integration process of the Internet with GIS and cartography, and to identify the main problems and prospects. Methods. General scientific methods such as analysis, comparison, synthesis, analogy, and a systems approach were used in the article. Results. The article outlines the key features and main milestones in the integration of the Internet with GIS and cartography. The main factors contributing to the success of Google Maps in 2005 are described, which led to the widespread use of cartographic information systems (CIS). Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the concepts of GIS and web GIS, and their connection to cartography. The lack of research in theoretical cartography is identified as one of the causes of the current crisis in the field. The article discusses possible ways out of this crisis for the science of cartography. For GIS developers, the Internet has opened new possibilities for the design and implementation of projects, giving rise to systems such as SDI. The success of web-based approaches has challenged GIS software vendors, who are now faced with competition from web cartography.Cartography must revisit its subject of research and define a clearly outlined "niche" within the field of geospatial sciences and technologies. Possible solutions to the crisis include new studies on map language, atlas systems, interactive web maps, and atlases, which should expand the theoretical framework of cartography.The blurring of boundaries between the fields of GIS application and cartographic research, which began to emerge in the late 1980s, has only intensified with the advent of a new environment (the web or Internet environment) for the dissemination and visualization of geospatial information.