Technology Trends in GIS

<P>In the future releases of <a href="http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/index.html" target="_blank" >ArcGIS</A>, ESRI will introduce the results of many ongoing development themes including</P>
<UL>
<LI><a href="http://www.esri.com/technology_trends/cartography/index.html" target="_blank" >Cartography Trends in GIS</A>—Improving GIS desktop applications through additional cartographic mapping, analysis, and editing tools and providing user-driven usability enhancements
<LI>Server GIS Trends—Evolving a robust server GIS platform to deliver comprehensive geographic information services through a wide variety of clients and client platforms (coming soon)
<LI>GeoWeb Trends—Expanding the access of information by anyone at any time via the Internet (coming soon)
<LI>Geodata Management Trends—Extending comprehensive geodatabase functionality and geospatial data management capabilities (coming soon) </LI></UL>
<P>ESRI has been involved in the application of geographic information since it was <a href="http://www.esri.com/company/about/history.html" target="_blank" >founded in 1969</A> as a private consulting firm specializing in land use analysis projects. In the 1980s, ESRI evolved to devote its resources to developing and applying GIS software and has since become the largest research and development organization dedicated to GIS.</P>
<P><a href="http://www.esri.com/company/about/facts.html" target="_blank" >ESRI and GIS</A> have grown from solving relatively simple tasks with simple building blocks—points, lines, and polygons—to solving complex tasks with enhanced <a href="http://support.esri.com/index.cfm?fa=downloads.dataModels.gateway" target="_blank" >data models</A>.</P>
<P>ESRI will continue to evolve GIS technology to serve a broad range of user needs and <a href="http://www.esri.com/industries.html" target="_blank" >communities</A>.</P><!--<ul>
<li>Improving GIS desktop applications through additional cartographic mapping, analysis, and editing tools, and providing user-driven usability enhancements.</li>
<li>Extending comprehensive geodatabase functionality and geospatial data management capabilities.</li>
<li>Evolving a robust server GIS platform to deliver comprehensive geographic information services through a wide variety of clients and client platforms.</li>
<li>Improving developer opportunities, access, and resources.</li>
</ul>-->