New Web Site Gives You Three Simple Ways to Make Maps for Free

The Web Mapping APIs sample gallery is a good starting point for building your own applications.

A new Web site launched by Esri helps you create maps for free with simple GIS tools. Mapping for Everyone covers a range of mapping needs, such as embedding an interactive demographic map into a Web site, creating custom applications using the ArcGIS Web Mapping APIs, and using a 2D/3D globe viewer on the desktop.

Mapping for Everyone makes it easy to start using these mapping resources:

Make a Map—Make a Map is a simple, interactive Web mapping application showing seven different U.S. demographic layers including median household income, median home value, and population density per square mile.

You can zoom in to an area of interest, select a demographic layer, resize the map to fit your needs, then embed the map you've made into your own Web pages simply by copying and pasting the automatically generated HTML. If you don't have your own Web page, you can still link to your custom map and easily share it with others via e-mail, Twitter, Facebook, or other social media. More mapping options are planned for Make a Map, so keep checking back.

Use the Make a Map application to personalize your map and share it with others.

Web Mapping APIs—ArcGIS Web Mapping APIs let you develop rich, interactive applications using JavaScript, Flex, and/or Silverlight. The Web page includes step-by-step instructions for installing the APIs, samples to help get you started, free map layers, and a gallery of live user sites where you can get ideas from applications other people have built.

Virtual Globe Viewer—A third mapping option is ArcGIS Explorer, Esri's free virtual globe viewer. Using ArcGIS Explorer, you can explore the world in 2D and 3D using both your own data and free data available from Esri. In addition to the ArcGIS Explorer download, the virtual globe page gives you easy access to map layers that you can add to ArcGIS Explorer, such as topographic maps, shaded relief, and world transportation. Once you become familiar with ArcGIS Explorer, you can also visit this page to find free add-ins that extend the software's capabilities.

Mapping for Everyone also includes a Community section where you can ask questions and collaborate with others.