It seems like the ArcGIS Explorer development team is trying to rub my office's horrifically slow network connection in my face.

After yesterday's release of the newest build of ArcGIS Explorer, I was interested in trying it out. So I downloaded it (and yes, the download took forever), installed it (and no, the install didn't take long at all), ran it, and waited. And waited. And waited some more. It took *forever to load just the initial globe.

But finally the globe loaded and I started to take a look around the interface.

I ended up clicking on the "Help" menu and found a new "Test connection speed..." tool.

After running the tool, here's what I was told:

I know what they're going for here, but still thought it was funny that ESRI was actually telling me not to use their application. And no, I am not on a dial-up connection at work.

This brings up an interesting question: as bandwidth becomes more and more of a precious commodity in some organizations (like the one that I work for), are IT staff still going to allow users to install these bandwidth-heavy virtual globe applications? And even if IT staff are supportive, won't most users get frustrated with the performance of these applications in situations where bandwidth is in scarce supply and stop using them?

I know that bandwidth is going down in price and improving for most organizations, but there are a lot of companies out there that can't (or aren't willing to) keep up with the growing bandwidth requirements of a web-centric world. It would be a folly for the major mapping vendors to ignore this group of users.

This realization is why we're currently focused on high-performing (and lightweight) web map implementations and not standalone desktop applications that consume centrally-located services. This is also why we're beginning to outsource some of our more bandwidth-intensive services. In short, we don't foresee our resources (network, hardware, and otherwise) growing any time soon, but we do see that we'll be expected to increase the quality of our services and will be serving more users than ever in the near future.

Introduction

Today, more than ever, the line that separates GIS dweebs from IT dorks is growing dimmer*. Whereas in the past users of GIS have had to be local "power users" who were proficient in command line and obscure software technologies (but not necessarily schooled in still-esoteric concepts and definitely not necessarily able to administer and optimize hardware infrastructure and networks), many of today's GIS users are expected to have a broader range of expertise and skills. It's happening on the other side, as well; spatial data and applications are being used more and more in traditional information technology fields to help streamline workflows and improve the efficiency and operations of organizations of all sizes.

Why the convergence? Well, if you look at the big picture, GIS is really just a specialized subset of IT. Here are the definitions, from Wikipedia (emphasis mine):

Information Technology - a broad subject concerned with technology and other aspects of managing and processing information, especially in large organizations.

Geographic Information Systems - a system for creating, storing, analyzing and managing spatial data and associated attributes.

This is not rocket science; while IT is considered to be a broader, all-encompassing field that uses technology to manage and process information (or data), GIS fits into a smaller (and much more specialized) niche. They are, though, at their most basic level one and the same. GIS departments have traditionally remained separate from IT departments, but I see this beginning to change.

Following are some examples of the skills/technologies that fall into the area of overlap, or "intersection" (as it is called in a Venn diagram). And you'll notice when reading the list below that this area of "intersection" is huge - and growing larger all the time.

• Database - this is the most obvious of them all. GIS data are happier in databases. File-based structures, albeit in some ways easier to use and administer, place severe restrictions on what can be done with the data. When stored in a database, though, the only restrictions imposed on data are those brought on by the database administrator's abilities - or lack thereof. A good GIS user needs to not only understand how data are stored in a Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS), but should also be able to design and optimize a database using accepted standards and techniques. More and more data are being moved from file-based formats into databases, and those who are able to efficiently and effectively use these data will have a significant advantage in leveraging the power of GIS for their own needs.
• Hardware - centralized GIS allows for more efficient allocation of resources and simpler overall maintenance and administration. However, centralization has its difficulties as well. It can put quite a load on finite expensive and mission-critical hardware resources, including memory, processing capacity, etc. A GIS user who understands the relationship between all of these different variables and is able to get the most out of existing resources can get more out of a GIS than one who only understands the software. My prediction: in the coming years, basic working knowledge of IT hardware will be a prerequisite for employment in many fields of GIS.
• Network - with the recent proliferation of network and web-based mapping/spatial technologies, today's GIS user needs to know more about how networks work than a user did even just a couple of years ago. Optimizing applications and services can allow a GIS user to get more out of their network, and can dramatically improve the end-user's experience (in the case of data served over a network or through a web application or service).
• Programming - in the GIS profession, scripts have long been used to extend the functionality of software, and Structured Query Language (SQL) has been used (often in a much simplified manner) to query out data since the inception of GIS. The new allowances of today's technologies, however, make it possible for a GIS user to make his/her data available to a much larger audience - if they can point the data in the right direction and give it a little nudge. Although today's development tools are advanced and user-friendly, there is still a need to know how to write basic scripts to extend interfaces and assist in repetitive tasks. One biggie that all GIS users need to catch up on is XML. With it one can do it all - from documenting their data to connecting two disparate databases that sit on two different platforms.
• Web Design - basic, working knowledge of web design principles and techniques (especially basic CSS and HTML) are helpful to anyone who needs to make any information or services available on the web. And, as I talked about in the "network" section above, the web is the future of GIS.

Conclusion

What does this mean for users of GIS? Well, in my opinion it means that we have an exciting future ahead. A GIS user who understands the fundamental technologies and services that drive IT - in addition to having a passion for spatial technologies - can expect to have only the sky as the limit.

*Note: I use the term "dweeb" lovingly, as I am a proud dweeb myself.

Listening to: Iron & Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days...