You can download these GIS solutions and trial them on your pc, laptop or tablet. With proprietary software such as ArcGIS and MapInfo you will have a thirty day to sixty day window in which to appraise the software without cost to see if it meets your requirements. Quantum GIS is open source software and as such there is no cost implication or time limit in checking out its features and functionality.
Motivation is a powerful force if you have the need to achieve a training objective, such as learning how to use a desktop GIS software package. There are now numerous ways to learn how to become effective with the main GIS software solutions like ArcGIS, MapInfo and Quantum GIS.
You can download these GIS solutions and trial them on your pc, laptop or tablet. With proprietary software such as ArcGIS and MapInfo you will have a thirty day to sixty day window in which to appraise the software without cost to see if it meets your requirements. Quantum GIS is open source software and as such there is no cost implication or time limit in checking out its features and functionality.
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If you are new to using a desktop GIS you may not fully appreciate how the various file formats are used. Unlike word processors GIS works with layers and needs to know whether you are loading vector or raster file layers. There are also other kinds of layers you can load but we will concentrate on vector and raster as these are the most common file types within a GIS software solution.
A map can be made up of many different layers. There is usually a base map layer to which all the other layers are added. Layer order is important to ensure that all layers are visible according to what you want your map to display. For instance, a raster layer over a vector layer could hide that layer's information. This problem is easily solved by reordering the layers so that all the appropriate data is visible. If you are interested in learning about how to make effective use of a desktop GIS software solution, and how it could help your business, then you may be interested to learn that jps services will be holding Quantum GIS introductory training courses in Oxford. These one day introductory courses are taking place in September and October 2013 at John Eccles House, Robert Robertson Ave, Oxford, OX4 4GP.
Within the last twenty years the cost of implementing a GIS software solution has steadily fallen making this valuable mapping tool available to more and more business sectors.
Back in the late 1970's the main suppliers of GIS systems such as IBM and Intergraph were mainly supplying custom built solutions on mainframe computers. These systems were only available to the biggest organisations with budgets often in excess of several million of pounds. The arrival of the personal computer in the 1980's meant that desktop GIS solutions could be provided to companies with much more limited resources. There are many different ways to acquire the GIS training knowledge you need to achieve your objectives. Besides face to face or on-line training courses you can learn about GIS from books, or from on-line articles and videos. Whatever the method you choose will depend on a number of other variables including cost, time and need.
If you have experienced both GIS and CAD software you will probably find that most of what I have to say regarding similarities and differences familiar. A basic similarity between the two software facilities is that they both use a layer function to display the graphic element of the drawing (CAD) and map (GIS). Perhaps that is the most common similarity whilst most of the differences lie in the purpose each software type aims to fulfil.
Computer aided design systems as their name implies provide a means of designing objects. For the architect it will be some form of building design, for the electrical engineer it may involve a complex wiring diagram, for a civil engineer it could be a highway, tunnel or bridge project and for a mechanical engineer it could be some form of engine or pump design. There have been many definitions of a geographical information system which have successfully covered the elements of what such a system should be. However, for the purpose of this particular discussion we will narrow the definition to that of a computer based definition of a geographic information system. This is because there is significant evidence to show that GIS is now more or less associated with digitally based computer solutions rather than paper based solutions. Accordingly we could define GIS a computer based tool which is able to convert geographic data into geographic information.
Each organisation has different requirements when it comes to GIS training for their staff. For instance, some departments may only need to use a GIS once or twice a month whilst other departments may need to have daily use. Some users will therefore need only to have a overview of the GIS system whilst others will need an in depth knowledge.
In the early 1980's gis systems were becoming available to a much wider audience than in previous decades. Up to this time some organisations had spent millions on specialised mainframe based solutions. These systems often had plotting capabilities which alone often cost between £50,000 and £100,000 per device. Taking inflation into account this represented an investment of more than £135,000 for a single monochrome electrostatic plotting device at today's prices. In the circumstances, thirty years ago gis systems were only available to the largest of organisations.
With cutbacks occurring it is becoming more and more difficult for many local authorities to find resources to train the required number of staff on their current gis systems. Some local authorities may have also had to cut back on planned upgrades and new implementations of gis systems as well as training for existing systems. With the current climate of continuous budget cutting it is important to ensure that the most is made of what limited financial resources are available. In this way it is possible to ensure staff are properly trained and understand the many benefits gis systems provide within the public sector.
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AuthorJoe Short BSc has been involved with various mapping solutions for over twenty years. If you are considering implementing a GIS or have ArcGIS Pro, MapInfo Pro or QGIS training requirements, jps services would be happy to be of assistance to your organisation. Archives
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