The publisher OpenSourcePress from Munich is currently giving away the book “OpenLayers – Web Development with Dynamic Maps and Geodata” written by M. Jansen and T. Adams until Sunday. So if you haven’t bought a copy yet, now you can win one with a little luck.

The book, published in April of this year, covers all components of an open source GIS stack: In addition to the JavaScript library OpenLayers, you will also learn about the APIs of Google Maps, Yahoo and the like, as well as the popular map servers UMN Mapserver and Geoserver. The stack is completed with a look at the database PostgreSQL and the GIS add-on PostGIS. Many examples and a detailed general introduction to the topic as well as a free additional chapter on the JavaScript programming language (direct link to the PDF, approx. 370 KB) round off the book.

What others say about the book:

“If you have always wanted to embed a map on your homepage and highlight interesting places there, you will find the necessary tools here. […] you will find many implementation examples that build on each other and you can try out OpenLayers directly on your own homepage.” (Review in the computer magazine c’t, 15/2010, p. 183)

“One wishes every documentation was as detailed and spiced with so many examples. And despite the sometimes quite complex material, the authors manage to remain generally understandable. Maybe it’s because of my general affinity for maps, especially maps on the web, but I didn’t get bored once while reading — as often happens to me with computer books. Therefore: Five stars for the book and an unconditional reading recommendation.” (http://www.schockwellenreiter.de/blog/2010/05/28/ich-habe-noch-mehr-gelesen/)

If luck is not on your side: Don’t despair… The book can be obtained from the publisher, relevant internet booksellers and also from your favorite bookshop “around the corner”.