Your life is filled with spatial information: where you live, where you work, where your customers are, where your competitors are. Many of the decisions you make every day involve locations, and anything that involves location is spatial information.

If you want to visualize spatial information, to actually see relationships, patterns, and trends that would not be otherwise apparent, then you should discover the world of geographic information systems (GIS).

Use ArcView GIS software

Here's your opportunity to test drive ArcView GIS, the desktop geographic information system from ESRI, the leading global provider of GIS software. The CD packaged with this introductory book includes a working demonstration copy of ArcView GIS Version 3 software, a hands-on ArcView GIS tutorial, and informative multimedia presentations. You'll come away with a solid understanding of basic GIS concepts and the ability to complete an ArcView GIS project of your own.

About the authors:

Tim Ormsby is the co-author of the best-selling books Getting to Know ArcView GIS, Extending ArcView GIS, and Getting to Know ArcGIS Desktop.

Eileen Napoleon is a GIS education specialist at ESRI and co-author of the best-selling books Getting to Know ArcView GIS, and Getting to Know ArcGIS Desktop.

Pat Breslin is an Education Specialist for ESRI.

Nick Frunzi is Director of Education Services for ESRI.