Lab 4: Introducing ArcMap

I actually really enjoyed finally getting to use the ArcGIS software. We are going to start getting into the programs that we will be using for the majority of the GIS minor. I’m excited to get started and for that reason, going through that tutorial wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. It seems like the possibilities are pretty incredible with ArcGIS as you are just able to do so much. That being said it really is another language so I was thankful for the well illustrated and easy to follow directions on the tutorial. The pictures highlighting exactly what to do made it easy for me to do the steps without getting stuck. It’s not exactly a aesthetically pleasing interface, but I suppose this isn’t really what’s important to ESRI. Function over form as the saying goes.

In the tutorial I created a printable page with four data frames on it: three maps and one chart. They were all related to a possible airport expansion. With the program, I was able to manipulate given data and shape files into a visually pleasant presentation of specific aspects related to the project. I thought it was particularly cool when I did the population density map and I was able, through the symbology tab, assign different colors to different levels of population density and spatially represent the data formerly only in table form. The program clearly has superior computing and graphing capabilities that other mapping software like say google maps just doesn’t have. I also think the tutorial made an effort to show all the wide array of different things you can do with ArcMap. While I don’t really know about other GIS software it seems like ArcMap is extremely versatile.

However being so versatile has its setbacks as well. The more capabilities a program has, the more confusing it’s going to be to learn. This unavoidable truth makes ArcMap’s depth both a blessing and a curse. I can tell this isn’t the kind of program that you can be an expert at after a few little tutorials. It takes hard work and lots and lots of practice to master software like this. To most working to learn the program will seem difficult and almost tedious. This is ok with me though because the less fun the program the more valued having the skill set will be.

I guess another setback for ArcGIS is that it has little potential for large scale public use. The combination of not being web 2.0 associated and the fact that it’s incredibly expensive makes it difficult for anyone outside a university or a company to recreationally use it. The bottom line is that this is essentially professional software that will always be complicated and difficult to use if you don’t know how. It will never be able to compete with up and coming web 2.0 phenomenon like google maps because to the average person it seems boring and difficult. This being said it’s an amazing group of software that I look forward to gaining expertise in and using it towards my career path.