2 November 2011
In an article in the V1 Newsletter this week, editor Jeff Thurston writes about what he really thinks GIS in the cloud will be like (view the full article here).
Jeff makes a lot of interesting points – but we think he’s missed one really important point.
By adopting the cloud – or, to be more exact, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) – GIS won’t just be used by experts anymore.
GIS will be used by millions of new, non-expert users.
These users won’t have a GIS background. Geography might not be one of their most outstanding skills. And they’re unlikely to be overheard discussing projections and shape files over a cup of coffee.
Instead, they’ll be employees in small, medium-sized and large organisations – and their day-to-day roles will be as varied as Founder, CEO, Marketer, Data analyst, or Administrative assistant.
They won’t think of the software as “GIS software” – instead, they’ll think of it as data mapping or location intelligence software.
These users won’t necessarily spend hours using it every day – it won’t be a core application. Instead, they’re more likely to log in to accomplish a discrete, set task – then get on with the rest of their job.
These users will be attracted by the value that mapping their data can bring – and by the low cost that SaaS delivery brings them.
If you’re a pessimist, you might ask what the point is – why make GIS available to people who won’t love it as much as the experts already do? Why not focus on serving the expert market?
At eSpatial, we’re optimists: We think that the future of GIS & SaaS is incredibly exciting!
While we continue in our commitment to enterprise-grade GIS functionality, we’re thrilled to be able to share the value of GIS with the wider business community.
We know that mapping data is an incredibly effective means of displaying and analysing it – so why wouldn’t we want to share this with anyone who has the need?
We’re already in the cloud
Of course, for the team at eSpatial, GIS in the cloud is already here. Our commitment to SaaS delivery – and the needs of our customers – have already brought us here.
So when we talk about what GIS in the cloud will really be like – well, it might be someone else’s possible future – but it’s our reality.
And it’s an exciting reality. Are you ready to join us?
