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OK I don’t see why we need to characterize this as splitting, polarizing, etc. Is it not just a continued evolution of GIS on its natural path? 25 years ago we were all sitting at digitizing tables and everyone came to us for maps. Today we provide digital data and support services and applications that ‘can’ certain GIS analyses. There are people all over the GIS spectrum, some old AML diehards who still use ArcEdit (even me every now and then!), sophisticated web programmers who just include certain geospatial services in their otherwise non-GIS apps, any number of biologist, hydrologist, geologist, other_ologist who uses GIS as a tool in their regular job. I don’t see splits and polarization – that’s only there if you envision it there. Change, maturation, expansion – absolutely. But I think we’re all a pretty big happy family, we geo-geeks (regardless of what flavor you are). Now if we can just everyone in D.C. to work together… =============================== Michael Smith MS GISP State GIS Manager, Maine Office of GIS State of Maine, Office of Information Technology michael.smith _at_ maine.gov 207-215-5530 Board Member, Maine GeoLibrary Education Chair, Maine GIS Users Group State Rep, National States Geographic Information Council [cid:[log in to unmask]] State House Station 145 51 Commerce Drive Augusta, ME 04333-0145 69o 47' 58.9"W 44o 21' 54.8"N From: Northeast Arc Users Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Matt Sheehan Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2014 9:25 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Splitting, Expanding, Maturing, Polarizing .... GIS is Changing Just to continue the conversation around changes in our industry. I recently used the word splitting, Joe at Directions Magazine prefers expanding. Joseph Berry questions our narrow terminology. There seems little doubt we are seeing the emergence of two communities "new" and "old". I've pulled more of this widening discussion together in the following blog post: http://www.webmapsolutions.com/splitting-expanding-maturing-polarizing-gis-is-changing The responses to this conversation have been many and varied. Please feel free to pitch in and provide your thoughts. Thanks --Matt Matt Sheehan | WebMapSolutions Mobile: 801-733-0723 | Email: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This list (NEARC-L) is an unmoderated discussion list for all NEARC Users. If you no longer wish to receive e-mail from this list, you can remove yourself by going to http://listserv.uconn.edu/nearc-l.html.