Submitted by Also was there (not verified) on Sat, 2005-11-19 15:46.
He sited an example of a software development group that was pushing the envelope further and further, adding new functionality to a product until it was eventually so complex that it alienated entry level users.
This was one of several comments he cited that were direct jabs at ESRI. I got the feeling he was insinuating that ESRI is the old-school complicated GIS, while Google has the GIS that the masses could actually use. He's correct that Google has the GIS for the masses, but the complicated nature of ESRI's product and for that matter MapInfo and Integraph comes from years of adding to the product to meet customer needs.
It's taken 4 months for Google to prove the masses will use a simple GIS. I expect a good fight as the "complicated" GIS companies reposition themselves to provide simple GIS to the masses along with their leagcy products.
He sited an example of a
This was one of several comments he cited that were direct jabs at ESRI. I got the feeling he was insinuating that ESRI is the old-school complicated GIS, while Google has the GIS that the masses could actually use. He's correct that Google has the GIS for the masses, but the complicated nature of ESRI's product and for that matter MapInfo and Integraph comes from years of adding to the product to meet customer needs. It's taken 4 months for Google to prove the masses will use a simple GIS. I expect a good fight as the "complicated" GIS companies reposition themselves to provide simple GIS to the masses along with their leagcy products.