## 1. Overview

The OpenMap Java Toolkit is made up of Java Bean components, of which the MapHandler, MapBean, and Layer/PlugIn components play central roles.

OpenMap makes it easy to build your own components (layers and plugins) that fit into the architecture to present your own data. With OpenMap you can integrate disparate data sources to compose a traditional overlay-based GIS. But you are not limited to this approach. OpenMap can display any type of graphical data such as JPEG images and custom-created charts and slides. We hope that the OpenMap platform will foster many novel data visualization applications.

The OpenMap components use only the standard Java classes provided with the Java 2 platform, so you can be assured that OpenMap will run anywhere supporting Java 2. The last version of OpenMap that runs on the JDK 1.1.X/Swing 1.1 platform is 3.7, and that version can be downloaded from the website.

OpenMap has been integrated into various projects at BBN, and at other companies, and for U.S. government clients. OpenMap works well with Java and non-Java systems, either directly embedded or distributed on a network and communicating with standard protocols. We look forward to hearing how you will use OpenMap!