(Please delete this long-winded diatribe if you are not into spirited
debate)
My two dollars....
As an old-time MapInfo Pro desktop application user, I understand some of
the frustration with MapInfo spending more and more energy on their MapX
line, seemingly to the detriment MI Pro users. But I must admit I've heard
many of these same complaints before- when MapInfo decided to move
development efforts away from their bread and butter DOS product and devote
more resources to developing on "that silly Windows platform". In order for
MapInfo to thrive, it must be ahead of the curve when it comes to new
technologies and platforms. The reason MapInfo is as strong as it is today
is because 10 years ago they "bet the farm" on the idea that computing would
be ruled by graphical user interfaces. Their main competitor at the time
(ArcView didn't come out until a few years later) was Strategic Mapping
(Atlas GIS), who didn't embrace the new GUI paradigm until it was too
late...and we all know what happened to them. In addition, it could be
argued that the only reason MapInfo made a dent in ESRI's market share at
all was that MI was the only GUI mapping application in existence for
several years. The Internet and rapidly expanding broadband access
represent another major paradigm shift that is changing the way people use
computers, similar to how Windows (and of course the Mac) opened up the
power of computing to a whole new class of non-technical users 10 years ago.
In order for any software to be successful over the long term, it must be in
the business of predicting how people will interact with computers several
years into the future. It seems the MapX product line represents MapInfo's
response to what it believes is the next generation of information
technology.
While obviously the move towards internet-based mapping now and the move to
the Windows platform 10 years ago are not strictly analogous, I believe the
concepts still apply. MapInfo must devote much of it's time into making
sure it is in position for the next wave of "distributed" applications.
This means more developers working on MapX/MapXtreme type technology,
leaving less developers for the maturing MapInfo Professional technology.
(And in a micro sense, within MapInfo Pro itself more attention will be
given to newer technologies, such as 3D mapping, internet connectivity,
etc., and less towards tweaking the interface) Now I don't think anyone
believes MapInfo Pro is being abandoned anytime in the near future, but if
you look ahead 5 years from now most experts envision that many if not most
computer applications will be internet/service based. Imagine if you will a
MapInfo Pro level "service" that you sign up for and use over the Internet
through your browser, without installing or downloading anything on to your
local hard drive except your own data.
In regards to pricing of MI Pro and its upgrades, that is a business
decision that can be argued over until every one is blue in the face. The
more money MapInfo brings in, the more developers and support people (i.e.
MapWorld magazine editors) can be hired, which is better for all of
MapInfo's product line. However the higher the prices, the more certain
users will be "priced out" of buying MI products and upgrades; Which leaves
a market niche open for lower priced alternatives (such as Manifold,
Maptitude, etc.) to enter the picture. Each individual user has to decide
for his/herself whether the extra money needed to purchase a MapInfo product
or upgrade is worth it given the alternatives. But one must keep in mind
that just as successful software companies must keep an eye toward the
future, we users must be sure that the technology we invest in today will
still be relevant down the road. (Anyone thinking of buying a copy of Atlas
GIS? It only costs $295...) In theory it is possible that a company like
Caliper is so efficient that it can make money building and maintaining a
MapInfo Pro quality desktop product for a sub $500 price tag while still
getting itself ready for the next generation of information technology. If
it can achieve this feat consistently and over the long term then the
marketplace will reward it, and we might all be chatting on Maptitude-L in
five years. However until this business model is proven, I believe the bulk
of desktop mapping users will "dance with the one who brung 'em."
Feel free to argue,
Chris
Chris DuBuc
Sage Software
VP Florida Operations
Authorized MapInfo Reseller
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
----- Original Message -----
From: Dick Hoskins <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: Bill Thoen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Friday, May 05, 2000 3:06 PM
Subject: Re: Anyone used MI 6.0 yet?
> I might augment your predictions a little: I suspect that the average MI
> user is getting tired of cosmetic upgrades that cost > $500. Much less,
many
> of us are not real nuts about MapExtreme, the big price tag and the
profound
> lack of ease in implementation. (The lack of Internet capable mapping from
> the major vendors is overwhelming) There is no way that the wool-dyed MI
> user can support any notion that MI Corp is listening to the ... user,
that
> is, their customers who have the greatest capacity to really use the
> product. I would take issue with your comments, or the tone concerning
> "cheap" Low price doesn't mean necessarily cheap. it might mean that a
> competitor is attempting an end-run and trying to break through the
current
> dominance in the market by AV and MI. I would say the same for AV. MI has
a
> lot of nice features, AV has a few, but there are other products that have
> long since passed by and catching up ... and they are cheaper. Taking on
the
> metaphor of "Rule Makers and Rule Breakers" - www.motleyfool.com the
popular
> investment site, MI is neither. ESRI remains the "Rule Maker" - it is the
> dominant force in GIS and ... makes the rules. MI and everyone else must
at
> best be the occasional mosquito as far as a threat to their dominance
goes.
> It was once a "Rule Breaker" ... it did new innovative things and to some
> extent still does. (Compare ESRI magazine with MapWorld - no comparison.
> MapWorld is by any measure an almost pathetic competitor.) In my view MI
> does neither - it doesn't make the rules and it sure doesn't break them.
But
> "Rule Breakers" are appearing, and one of these days whether its Manifold,
> or Caliper, or GeoMedia, or who knows who ... there will appear a
> substantive competitor unless ESRI or MI can get make some changes. I
> predict ESRI will make some, and MI will miss the boat. (the American Way
> and all that)
>
> One of these days there is going to be a GIS vendor who responds to
> customers, doesn't always have its hand out, provides credible tech
support
> that ordinary people can afford, training that non-high-end business types
> can put in their budget (read government and education), etc. WHEN that
> happens, AV and MI users are going to leave the sinking ship like the
> proverbial rats. Dick Hoskins
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> GIS uses in public health summer course:
> http://healthlinks.washington.edu/inpho/gis/course.html
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bill Thoen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Friday, May 05, 2000 10:14 AM
> Subject: Re: Anyone used MI 6.0 yet?
>
>
> > It's not shipping yet. June 1st is the scheduled date for North
> > America. I think the only thing out now is the beta version,
> > which no one is supposed to talk about in public.
> >
> > I think that most people actively using MapInfo now will upgrade.
> > Casual users will probably think harder about it, but I really
> > think most people will get it. A certain percentage will almost
> > certainly try one of the cheap competitors, but will be back here
> > in a year or so saying that their alternative makes a nice
> > supplement to MapInfo. A smaller percentage will leave forever,
> > and probably throw out all commercial software and switch to
> > Linux and GRASS. At least that's what will happen if history is
> > any guide to the present.
> >
> > - Bill Thoen
> >
> > [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> > >
> > > Just curious,
> > > does anyone have any experiences with MI 6.0 yet along with any
comments
> > > on new features or views on if many users will flock to the recent
> > > upgrade.
> > >
> > > any comments would be appreciated
> > >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
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> >
>
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