Still Using ArcView GIS 3.0a?
You are not alone. Last week I ran into two long-time GIS users who both surprised me with the technology they use. One uses ArcView 3.0a and keeps his GIS data in shapefiles. The other uses the ArcEdit module of workstation ARC/INFO (now spelled ArcInfo), and still develops and maintains GIS data in coverages. Neither of them was compelled (or pushed) to migrate to newer technology.
This got me thinking. At conferences and presentations, on blogs and user forums, we tend to discuss the latest technologies – SQL Server 2008 (“Katmai”), Oracle Spatial, ArcGIS 9.3, file geodatabase. Clearly GIS conferences and online forums are the areas where early adopters convene. And clearly early adopters make up the head of the Long Tail in GIS. But I wonder whether the quiet majority of GIS users are content with their current (earlier) technologies, and couldn’t care less about the latest bells and whistles. How fat is the tail?
Posted by Atanas Entchev at 12/6/2007 6:11 PM 
Categories: file geodatabase,AI,Opinion,GIS,Software,Technology,ArcInfo,ArcView,ESRI,ArcGIS
Tags: file geodatabase AI Opinion GIS Software Technology ArcInfo ArcView ESRI ArcGIS
Categories: file geodatabase,AI,Opinion,GIS,Software,Technology,ArcInfo,ArcView,ESRI,ArcGIS
Tags: file geodatabase AI Opinion GIS Software Technology ArcInfo ArcView ESRI ArcGIS
Well, I'm not using ArcView 3, but sometimes I definitely miss good old Workstation ArcEdit. So, to me, what you've written is right on the mark. I am not an early adopter of technology... I guess I don't want to waste my time learning about the latest GIS format/ product/fad. Instead, I prefer to wait to see what technology shakes out as the most valuable. Then, I learn about that. I realize this puts me behind the curve, but it works for me.
On the otherhand, when I run into problems with my existing software, I call tech support or figure out a workaround until the next version is released. I rarely go backward.
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3.3 - ain't nothing like it.
Try doing a complex dissolve in ArcMap - an hour later your session will have likely crashed. < 1 minute in AV3.3.
Try merging 100+ shapefiles without poking out your eyeballs in ArcMap. AV3 - piece of cake. Add in xtools and you get the source file name as a bonus.
Try reordering fields in ArcMap.
Try renaming shapefile fields in ArcMap.
etc etc.
....other than that I like ArcMap - but those are some pretty serious/basic GIS things.
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I still use ArcView 3.x and ArcInfo(workstation) in my daily activities. I use ArcGIS time to time.
Frankly, if it's not broken, why fix it? Like, upgrading to a newer version or even change data formats to whatever is new and exciting. Especially when it's not necessary, if the same data is usefully in shapefile format vs. geodatabase. Why spend the money to upgrade in order to use geodatabases when shapefiles work just fine.
I'm still a little miffed that ESRI dropped editiablility of coverages in ArcGIS after 8.2.
KoS
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a reason because Arcview 3x it´s still in use, is because ESRI even sale that
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When I worked at the local university, ArcView was was pretty popular, much for the same reasons that are posted above. However, for some things, like getting data into geodatabases, ArcView 3.3 isn't great. (Try getting holding a NULL value in a number attribute. Exporting into Illustrator for cartography projects was better with 3.3 as well. ESRI needs to improve the basic functions of the entry level licensing.
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Ho hum, I miss the old segmentation violation days.... :).
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I (we) use what works. I try out all the new products and features whenever possible but I consistently use the quickest, most stable, understandable, format/tech. I hate black boxes and I want to be sure I'm not getting GIGO. It's nice to pull out some old AI workstation command or AML and have it just work. Mark I had a co-worker run into one the other day... it brought a tear to my eye... I need to add that fix to our Wiki.
Ron
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The good old days when you needed one software to maintain your data (ArcInfo) and one to make maps (ArcView). This is what finally drove me to use the then 8.X architecture along with the some of the features of the geodatabase. But I am sure as the programing of ArcGIS becomes more mature we will again see some of the same type of performances we did in ArcView.
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I am using the arc view 3.0 right now and i still find it cool cos i am use to it, but if an upgraded software is out, no course for alarm i will go for it. I am in Nigeria.
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