Using ArcMap for the first time was a little intimidating. Personally I have never been much of a computer savvy person, so doing anything besides printing and saving documents was new for me. Luckily all the directions made sense and were easy to follow. Not only am I extremely proud of what I was able to accomplish, but I have a much better understanding of computers in general now, which is helpful outside of geography and GIS.
One of the biggest benefits of GIS is its effectiveness at storing and displaying data. Through these programs its possible to turn endless amounts of numbers and statistics into a clear, easy to read visual that incorporates all the information. This not only makes projects, demographics, etc. understandable to people unfamiliar with geography, but also simplifies things to avoid mistakes made by those undertaking said projects (like an airport expansion plan).
The biggest pitfall of GIS is probably its difficulty to access. It has to be done on computers with special programming installed, and it doesn't come cheap. This makes things harder for those attempting to learn how to use GIS and restricts where and when learning can be done. Because of all this, many members of the general public are not aware of the benefits of GIS, and its potential is hindered.
If GIS was made accessible to the public, its potential could be limitless. Although it can be difficult to learn such a complex system, once learned it could become a mainstream form of displaying data in the same way that GoogleMaps and MapQuest have reinvented mapping and directions. While websites like GoogleMaps have their downfalls (see last week's post) it would be ridiculous to say that they have not had a positive impact on modern society.
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