Chapter Wrapup

No matter the provider, the software, or the data representation format, GIS has a wide variety of uses, ranging from public utility mapping to law enforcement analysis, fire tracking, landscape planning, and many, many more. The next chapter will examine a number of different types of GIS analysis and address how to take this geospatial data and start doing things with it. Check out the Apps, Blogs, and Social Media box for some downloadable GIS apps (including one for ArcGIS), as well as information from some blogs, Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, and Esri’s YouTube channel.

The lab for this chapter provides an introduction to GIS and some basic handling of geospatial data. Two versions of the lab have been designed—the first one, Geospatial Lab Application 5.1: GIS Introduction: QGIS Version uses the free QGIS software package, and the second one, Geospatial Lab Application 5.2: GIS Introduction: ArcGIS Version uses ArcGIS 10.1 or 10.2. Both labs (5.1 and 5.2) use the same data and concepts, but implement them differently, depending on which software package you have available to you.

Important note: the references for this chapter are part of the online companion for this book and can be found at http://www.whfreeman.com/shellito2e.

Apps, Blogs, and Social Media

Here’s a sampling of available apps for your mobile device (note that some apps are for Android, some are for Apple iOS, and some may be available for both), as well as some blogs and social media outlets related to this chapter’s concepts.

Some representative apps for use on your phone or tablet:

  • ArcGIS App: A mobile app version of ArcGIS, which allows access to many features of ArcGIS Online
  • GISRoam: An app that allows for mobile GIS use of rasters and shapefiles

For further up-to-date info, read up on these blogs:

  • Esri’s ArcGIS blog: http://blogs.esri.com/esri/arcgis
  • Esri Careers (a blog about working and interning at Esri): http://blogs.esri.com/esri/careers
  • Esri Insider (a blog about multiple geospatial and Esri software applications): http://blogs.esri.com/esri/esri-insider

On Facebook, check out the following:

  • Esri: http://www.facebook.com/esrigis
  • QGIS: http://www.facebook.com/pages/QGIS-Quantum-GIS-/298112000235096

Become a follower on Twitter of:

  • Esri: @Esri
  • GIS Geospatial News: @gisuser
  • Quantum GIS: @qgis

On YouTube, watch the video of the following:

  • Esri TV (Esri’s YouTube channel featuring numerous videos of ArcGIS applications and resources): http://www.youtube.com/user/esritv

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