From the Publisher
By Roland Mangold

Top ten reasons why you should buy a GIS

Over the past several months, magazines such as Time, Business Week, and others have focused special attention upon a phenomenon called Information Technology. They've written about computer networks, wireless communications, Internet, software, ATM, WAN and ISDN. But, nowhere did they talk about the stuff that goes into a network, and can be sent at the speed of light through fiber optic cables to potentially everyone. No one talked about the information, stupid! That is what it is all about - and in this industry we deal with geographic information, spatial information, Earth information - arguably some of the most important information in the Information Age - and these so called purveyors of enlightenment failed to even give a mention.
      Well, it is not their fault for not knowing about the wonders of the GeoTechnologies - it is ours for not showing them how cool our technologies are. I know, there have been efforts to expose the media to the benefits of geographic information, but for the most part they are too few and too far between. Also, they lack a certain flare - a show biz flare that the media tends to gravitate toward.
      I have taken it upon myself to research this. Since it is summer and I don't have to go to bed too early - I have been watching the Late Show with David Letterman on CBS. He has a popular, "off-the-wall" segment called the Late Show's Top Ten List. We thought we would give it a shot, albeit without the band and live studio audience, before Dave got to our list.
      Following are EOM's Top Ten Reasons to Buy a GIS:
      #10 - So you can spend the majority of your time gabbing with people on the Internet who also do not know how to use their GIS.
      #9 - It will solve all of your problems - actually it won't solve all your problems - but, it will create so many new problems that you will forget about all of your old problems.
      #8 - I don't really want a GIS - but I have a couple million bucks that I am going to be spending on consulting, data conversion and geographic information - hey, what the heck, I might as well get the GIS too.
      #7 - You heard about these two new, "hot shot," GIS consultants, Sirajuhl and Mujibar.
      #6 - Any industry that has so many associations and conferences REALLY KNOWS HOW TO PARTY.
      #5 - You want to be a part of the crowd at ASPRS, GIS/LIS and URISA
      #4 - Hey, since the government feels it is their mandate to provide us with all the geographic data and information we need, we might as well get on the bandwagon.
      #3 - You heard that President Clinton is appointing his brother Roger to set the National Geo-Spatial Data Standards.
      #2 - The O.J. trial may be over by the time your GIS is implemented and running - and if your lucky it won't cost you as much as the trial cost O.J.
      And, the number one reason why you should buy a GIS: #1 - because Denny Parker says so.
      I hope no one takes offense to our "tongue-in-cheek" EOM Top Ten List - we are just having a little fun. Besides, you know you have made the big time when the media starts referring to you in their jokes. That is, so long as your name is not Joey Buttafucco.

Cheers!

Roland Mangold

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