Getting to Know ArcGIS Desktop [Paperback]

Tim Ormsby (Author), Eileen J. Napoleon (Author), Robert Burke (Author), Carolyn Groessl (Author), Laura Bowden (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2010 | ISBN-10: 1589482603 | ISBN-13: 978-1589482609 | Edition: Second Edition, for ArcGIS 10

Getting to Know ArcGIS Desktop introduces principles of GIS as it teaches the mechanics of using ESRI’s leading technology. Key concepts are combined with detailed illustrations and step-by-step exercises to acquaint readers with the building blocks of ArcGIS® Desktop including ArcMap™, for displaying and querying maps, ArcCatalog™, for organizing geographic data, and ModelBuilder™, for diagramming and processing solutions to complex spatial analysis problems. Its broad scope, simple style, and practical orientation make this book an ideal classroom text and an excellent resource for those learning GIS on their own. A data CD for working through the exercises and a fully functioning 180-day trial ArcGIS® Desktop 10 software is included.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tim Ormsby works in product development at ESRI.

Eileen Napoleon is an educational specialist at ESRI.

Robert Burke is a senior instructor and technical writer at ESRI.

Carolyn Groessl was a technical writer for ESRI Press.

Laura Bowden currently works in GIS education at ESRI.

Product Details

• Paperback: 592 pages
• Publisher: ESRI Press; Second Edition, for ArcGIS 10 edition (August 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1589482603
• ISBN-13: 978-1589482609
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 1.2 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,606 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #3 in Books > Computers & Technology > Programming > Graphics & Multimedia > GIS
  • #3 in Books > Education & Reference > Studying & Workbooks > Workbooks
  • #3 in Books > Computers & Technology > Microsoft > Development > Visual Basic

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars ArcGIS Tutorials Galore June 1, 2011

By PittsburghRic

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book is 592 pages of ArcGIS tutorials. If you like tutorials, then this is the book for you. These tutorials will walk you through anything you would ever want to do with ArcGIS, in painful detail. I was new to ArcGIS before reading this book, it's a complex and powerful program. This book is meant to be read cover to cover, unlike most software manuals & books where you can just jump to what you need to learn. So,.. if you need to learn ArcGIS then this book is for you, but if you just need to learn specific tasks/ tools/ functions this is probably not the book that you want.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good learning material but three editions show little change December 5, 2010

By IanO

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I reviewed this title several years ago and highlighted the excellent training material and structure it provides. My view on that remains. However, this book has literally 99% the same content and structure of the earlier editions, so if you are looking for new material you wil be disappointed. The software changes relating to the training examples are largely cosmetic, one or two modified dialogs and toolbars. Nothing of substance.

Also, there is no requirement to purchase this book to obtain the 180-day evaluation software (which is ArcGIS 10 Editor version). Indeed, it is no longer bundled with the book, you have to download the 3.9Gb file, but you also get the evaluation key, so this latest edition is unnecessary.

My advice is, save yourself a whole lot of money, buy an older version and obtain the software via download. There is so little change to the book you will not be disadvantaged. Amazon currently (Dec 2010) has used editions from $17.13.

ESRI Press could have provided an 'update' pdf of changes, but I doubt it would have got beyond a page!

IanO - UK

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Screenshot problems October 26, 2011

By Timothy B Askin

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

While the text of the book has been updated to reflect version 10, none of the screenshots used in the book have been updated. This can lead to substantial confusion.

Regardless, I buy a new copy every 6 months for the cheap software. I can keep this plan going for over 10 years and still come out ahead over buying a commercial one year license.