Lab 4

Pros

ArcGIS is an excellent program for visualizing data into a map format. It was extremely easy to follow the ArcGIS tutorial especially with the illustrations helping every step of the way. If it wasn't for the tutorial, I would be completely lost and would have thrown the computer out the window. It was considerably easy for me to create a map by illustrating a possible airport expansion and by even graphing the noise consequences. The most enjoyable part of the map was the snapping edit. It was simple, easy to use and made it easy for me to label all the roads.

What I really liked about this program was the ability for me to do anything on it. I can calculate population density while adding legends and making maps and roads in one program. Unlike other programs where it's one or the other, ArcGIS is both data and maps in one.

Cons

It is plain and simple difficult to use. Unlike google maps where I watched a youtube video and learned the steps, I spent a good hour and a half going step by step to learn how to use the ArcGIS program. Because there were so many steps, without the tutorial, it would have been extremely hard to follow and wouldn't even think about touching the program outside of school.

Also, because the design of the program is so gray and mundane, I found myself easily bored and because there were so many options on each window and toolbar, I also found myself undoing a lot of things. Overall, it was really complicated without the step by step tutorial, which was straightforward. But I don't think this is something everyone can and will be able to use. I definitely enjoyed google maps much more because I included things that I was interested.