This is probably the my favorite reading so far in this class. In this reading it focuses more on actually using the GIS program, that we are using, itself and not so much the concepts behind it. In chapter 1, entitled “Introducing GIS,” it talks a lot about the ability of being able to take a single map and break it down heavily, possibly into just one object type such as just roads. It says that in GIS that the program does not just use this map or that map, but all the maps that are available. I think that this is really cool to think about. It talked about how every map is divided up into layers, which make up a collection. Each map is made up of vector data, which is made with certain parts. These include:
- Polygons
- Lines
- Points
Polygons are areas that can picture very large volumes. Lines and points are for objects that are too small to be polygons. Points are exact locations, where lines are very thin long areas. Maps are also in different scales depending on how large the area is that a person wants to view. The map is also divided up into a XY plane which is used to have exact locations for everything on the map. In the real world these are called longitude and latitude.
In chapter 2, which is entitled “Introducing ArcGIS Desktop,” it explains that there is a lot of different types of GIS software out on the market. Some of these include:
- ArcView
- ArcEditor
- ArcInfo
These systems are divided into two groups which are:
- ArcMap
- ArcCatalog
I did not know that there is different forms of GIS software out there. Is the ArcGIS software that we will soon be using, one or all or even a completely different program from these other Arc software programs.
