In case you missed it in the mix of interesting news from the 2024 Esri User Conference, Esri cofounder Jack Dangermond, with support from Esri and the GIS community, has authored a new book (his first ever). It’s about the geographic approach–a way of viewing problems and solutions through a geographic lens–but it’s not just another dry technical manual. Instead, it’s actually a tour-de-force of GIS insights, examples, concepts, and the history of the unique industry of GIS that Jack and his company have pioneered.
If you’ve never heard of GIS, this is the book for you. If you think you know what it is, you may be surprised to learn some new things and discover where GIS is headed.
In the preface, Jack writes:
This book is about the power of where and the geographic approach. It includes maps, stories, and GIS apps that demonstrate the value of using geographic science to create better understanding and transform how people do their work. I did not write this book alone. Rather, it has been assembled with the help of my colleagues across Esri and the GIS user community. It represents many of the latest concepts behind modern GIS and the revolution it has created in thinking, action, and technology. Our collective aspiration is to share what we have learned and what we believe is a powerful way to better understand Earth’s systems and guide human action.
The large-format, extensively illustrated volume also tells Jack’s own story as he recounts the emergence of the field in the late 1960s into the multi-billion dollar industry it is today. He also shares the personal values that have guided him from the start, providing a unique insight into his motivations.
The full power of GIS is only realized via computers, so a companion website has been launched at powerofwhere.com that brings the examples featured in the book to interactive life. Here, readers can dive deep into a collection of web maps, story maps, lessons, and activities and become familiar with the technology.
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