Week 4 Cont.

ooops almost forgot this:

                ArcMap has a lot of potential. It is a highly powerful software program that not only allows you to create maps, but also analyze the data that is displayed on other maps. In the next few paragraphs I will explore some of the potentials and pitfalls of ArcMap. In the first exercise we were taught that one reason ArcMap is better than a regular map is because you can zoom in to see detail on ArcMap however on a physical map you are bound to the detail allowed by the scale of the map. ArcMap is also powerful because people can add script and images to maps.

                In exercise two I learned that ArcMap lets you switch between and work within multiple data frames so that multiple maps can be produced and compared in the same file. The placement and other properties of the map can be highly stylized to the users liking or needs. This level of stylization also allows for the ArcMap software to categorize certain data on a map by color or style. Another nice feature of ArcMap is the ability to turn off and on layers so that one only has to view the features necessary to their interest. Additionally other non-spatial information can also be attached to features and displayed in graphs or tables. The tables can be joined or even have a feature added to them.

                Another nice feature of ArcMap is its ability to calculate attribute values and due many calculations in a fraction of the time that it would take by hand. Other cool features of ArcMap are the snap tool and the parallel tool which make drawing and joining lines easy and precise. Digitization in ArcMap is far more accurate than can be duplicated by hand. Digitization of other features is also made easier by the ArcMap’s ability to compute boundaries.

                There are a few potential downfalls to ArcMap however. One such downfall is a failure to save properly. Unlike a physical map, an electronic map can cease to exist with the mis-click of a button. Another potential pitfall of ArcMap is building a reliance on the power of the program and thus losing one’s ability to compute data for themselves. Additionally it is easy to note that if one is not familiar with the ArcMap software it is hard to pick up by one’s self. Another potential pitfall is that data can confused if not properly stylized on a map. For example using very similar colors to display different dat can be confusing to someone reading the map.