ESRI UK and GI in 2007

Wednesday, 31 January, 2007

I was leafing through GEOConnexion this month and skimmed through the article on predictions for 2007 in GI (usual culprits included Ed Parsons, Vanessa Lawrence, AGI, Autodesk, Cadcorp, Ian Dowman etc) and was staggered by the opening statement of Roger Waite, Managing Director of ESRI UK which said:

“For too long GIS has been a solution looking for a problem; this is set to change.”

I’m sorry but if my memory of GIS history is correct, we have the development of CGIS and DIME in the 1960s (along with the Experimental Cartography Unit in the UK), followed very shortly afterwards with the establishment of ESRI itself. These weren’t computer systems for the fun of it, but digital spatial engines designed for specific problems. GIS has never been a solution looking for a problem, rather a niche product that has had limited application, partly due to the high cost and consequently limited ROI.

I can’t help but think that ESRI is too busy looking over its shoulder to notice that Google (et al) is actually already in front. Look at Ed Parsons comments on Neogeography for a primer.

Add comment

Fill out the form below to add your own comments