Mashups using ArcGIS API for JavaScript

In web development, a mashup is a web page or application that combines data or functionality from two or more external sources to create a new service. Using SaaS – Software as a service.

The services used in the mashup sample below are ArcGIS Server REST API services.
REST (= Representational State Transfer ) is a easy way to use ArcGIS services using URL commands in webbrowsers.
There are services that respond with a simple Yes/No or True/False. There are also services that respond with a list of objects within a given polygon for example.

Software as a service – the Cloud

Software as a Service – SaaS – or Cloud Computing is an online service where the software is not running on hardware at the enduser, but on a machine farm at an application service provider or directly at the software vendor.

The software licences are not purchased, but the software use is rented. For a certain period of time, for a certain project – there are several contractual options.
Software updates and hardware services are fulfilled by the service provider without overloading the IT department of the enduser.
Sometimes a small client utility is used to connect to the service, sometimes it runs over the HTTP or HTTPS protocols in a regular webbrowser.

Autodesk is currently running a pilot with the products: AutoCAD, Inventor and Revit op Autodesk Labs – Project Twitch.

ESRI has ArcGIS Online that provides ArcGIS users with a set of core services over the web.