----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, August 18, 2000 11:57
AM
Subject: MI Where is MapInfo (Friday lack
of humour)
"GIS users and vendors are invited to join the National Geographic
Society, the Association of American Geographers, the University Consortium
for Geographic Information Science, the United States Geological Survey, The
Library of Congress, and ESRI (but not
MapInfo) in opening their doors for GIS Day
2000."
Why isn't MapInfo as pro active as ESRI. How many
truly functional GIS software packages are there? Is ERSI the only one
interacting with URISA, AAG, APA, etc.
In Michigan GIS=ESRI. All universities use ESRI,
all state agencies with very one exception exclusively use ESRI. The
perception is now that ESRI products is GIS, anything else is used by GIS
"imitators". Places are switching to ESRI purely as part of a herd
mentality fostered aggressive sales persons preying on GIS
insecurity.
Software grants to institutions of higher
education is a no brainer to train future users. Cur. Vita of untenured
assistant professors are loaded with ESRI software grants as major
accomplishments. Guess where their loyalty lies if nothing else for pure
leverage in vita building
If I write two identical letters one to MapInfo
and one to ESRI about wanting to start a GIS curriculum at my 4 year
institution guess what happens.
I once was able to get 20 "old" versions of
Mapinfo for my local highschool Vocational Training Center, and similarly
about that many copies for local university two years ago
through what I believe to be a nolonger in existence 3rd party non-profit
organization. It could not be done again today.
The ESRI cult status as the only GIS show in town
is gaining momentum and it is in all honesty to their marketing credit.
The bottom line of MapInfo might be in good shape today but why promote
or support a product without corporate backing. The MapInfo line of products
can speak for itself only if it has an opportunity by used early on.
I guess I am getting tired of constantly
exporting to *.shp and *.E00 formats for no good reason other than to provide
GIS "theme" layers to others.
Jeroen Wagendorp
