Thanks for the feedback, so far. Yes, we use ArcView to a limited degree on projects and find the python and COM scripting potentials interesting. The point of my original post is that there's an explosion now of free GIS authoring tools and free mechanisms of GIS / 3D distribution that it's interesting to think of completely new classes of applications that leverage this new found freedom.
I guess it's not unlike having proprietary applications on top of proprietary network protocols prior to the web, and then HTTP on top of TCP/IP exploded. This happened not because the combination was 10x technically superior to what it replaced but because the new paradigm was free and without commercial restrictions. Are we at a similar threshold now with GIS/3D? -Steve > May I suggest the book by my colleagues Wil Gorr and Kristen > Kurland here at Carnegie Mellon. It does make ArcView seem > doable. Certainly our students here in public policy find it > accessible. See > http://www.amazon.com/GIS-Tutorial-Workbook-ArcView-9-0/dp/158 > 9481275 > <http://www.amazon.com/GIS-Tutorial-Workbook-ArcView-9-0/dp/15 > 89481275> > > George > > > On 9/24/07, Marcus G. Daniels <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Raymond Parks wrote: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > >> Idrisi, a sophisticated and professional GIS > program, is available from > >> Clark University, Nick's academic home, for much > less than ARC View. > >> Idrisi is much easier to use than ArcView. > >> > > > > However, I am not willing to make a minimum $1250 > investment without > > some chance at a preview or test of the product. > BTW, finding that cost > > turned out to be much more difficult than it should > be on that web-site. > > The web-site seems to further the stereotype of > academics not having a > > clue about business. > > > Btw, ArcView's capabilities are exposed as COM > interfaces (called > `ArcObjects') and programming ArcView in Visual Basic > is not hard. > There are accessible books on the topic. > > A related technology that may be of interest is the > open source PostGis > project. This adds geographical proximity extensions > to SQL (Postgres). > > Marcus > > > > ============================================================ > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org > > > > > > -- > George T. Duncan > Professor of Statistics > Heinz School of Public Policy and Management Carnegie Mellon > University Pittsburgh, PA 15213 > (412) 268-2172 > ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
