Getting to Know ArcGIS for 9.3
ESRI has just announced an updated version to one of their best selling books entitled Getting to Know ArcGIS. This information coming out on December 1st through a ESRI Press Release. The enhancement has added about 18 pages and updates the exercise data to be compatible with ArcGIS 9.3.
This book is a great resource for those who are looking to learn the ArcGIS interface. As the press release states:
The workbook introduces GIS concepts and capabilities and describes the features and functionality in ArcView, ArcEditor, and ArcInfo, the core products in the ArcGIS Desktop line. Step-by-step exercises, accompanied by richly detailed illustrations, teach basic GIS tasks such as how to conduct spatial analysis, make maps, and build and edit spatial databases.
However, if you do not have ArcGIS 9.3 then the older version would be fine. Both books contain the same quality information. There is a slight price difference in the books though.
Getting to Know ArcGIS (9.2 and earlier)
Related GIS Pathway Posts
Compare Vehicle MPG by Map
October 14, 2008 by Timothy
Filed under GIS Software, News, Websites
A new website produced by ESRI will map the distance that your car will be able to travel as compared to an another vehicle of your choosing base on one gallon of gas. The site, http://mapmpg.com, allows you to select a vehicles by year, make, and model. A distance polygon is calculated for each vehicle and then routed based upon the location that you select.
Although this is pretty neat feature, ESRI is using this site to promote its BusinessMap software. This software uses tools to help businesses run extensive analysis.
Other than the BusinessMap motive, this site is pretty cool!
WebDiet™ – GPS and Meal Planning
I just found this website that is integrating dieting and GPS. At first I did not know how in the world the two even related, but after reviewing the website I have found how the two work together.
The basic idea is that you have access to WebDiet™ on your phone and you can us GPS to locate restaurant near you. The program searches these restaurants and creates a healthy meal plan based upon your diet requirements. You can even place your order on your phone if you are on the go.
I believe that this is a crazy, but great idea. Who would have ever thought that GPS and Dieting would go together? I know that I will not be using it because I am not the dieting type. However, I use Live Search on a regular basis from my phone to locate restaurants near my location. I believe that WebDiet™ could be big. This just goes to show you that using GIS and GPS can go as far as your imagination will allow.
Check it out and form your own opinion….WebDiet™
Saving Gas in SC with GPS Units
South Carolina is trying to save money by buying GPS units to monitor their gas usage. They are spending 4 million dollars on 12,250 units. Approximately half of the units will go for public school’s buses and the other half to the Department of Transportation.
The article says that if they can save just a few gallons per bus a day, the savings will pay for the units. The GPS is suppose to record speed, idling time and acceleration in addition to tracking. When they see an issue, they can notify the driver.
Although this may sound practical, this is not a feasible way to reduce gas usage. Can you really save a couple of gallon of gas a day by not idling? I think they need to focus on the routing aspect. If they can reduce their route, that is where the real savings will come in. With the technology that GIS provides, they can be more efficient with their routes. One way to do this is to reroute on a daily basis. If a parent can call and notify the school that their child will not be riding for that day, then the can be removed from the database for that day. The would in return reduce the length of the route. And by having GPS units in the bus, this will give the drive the ability to follow the new route given to them.
The artile does go on to say that there can be a significant savings for the SCDOT as well. Islip, NY is referenced as saving 14,000 gallons of gas in three months by using the GPS units.
What do you think? Read full article…
GPS Devices Help Prosecutors Win
Be careful before you commit that next crime. Your GPS unit in you car could be the deciding factor to landing you in jail. A news article released by the Associated Press tells of how prosecutors are winning convictions based upon vehicle GPS devices. These GPS devices contain tracking points that can tell others where you have been. Eric Hanson was convicted of murdering four family members based upon his GPS unit in his TrailBlazer. Read Article
On the flip side, the Technology Blog of the DallasNews has an article entitled GPS violates the civil rights of murderers, other criminals. They bring up the point of this evading out privacy. The question is whose privacy is this taking away? The criminal or the average citizen? I do agree with Andrew Smith here in the fact that GPS data should be available to police when needed. But at the same time I do not think that the government should be “following” us like Big Brother (However, I am sure they already are.)
ArcGIS 9.3 Enables More Functionality in Adobe PDF
As GIS users begin migrating to ArcGIS 9.3, they will find more functionality when they export their map as a PDF. I have been using 9.3 for a few months now, and I have found that ESRI has made things a lot better for this export option. Options that I have found include:
1. Ability to enable a viewer to turn on/off layers in PDF
2. Ability to include map georeference information within PDF
3. Ability to embed attribute data in PDF
The coolest of these options is the ability to embed the attribute data. The user looking at the PDF can actually query by pointing and clicking the visual features to get the attribute data returned just like the Identify Tool in ArcMap.
The press release from ESRI discusses the new functionality in ArcGIS 9.3 and Adobe PDF 9.
