Dashboard Widgets | Blog
ESRI GIS Options for Mac Users
There is a common misconception that there are no options for Macintosh users who want to use GIS. There are several choices available for MacOSX users:
**Especially useful for those new to GIS
Screenshot of Intel-based Macintosh running AEJEE (upper left) and web browser with ArcWeb Explorer (lower left) in background, and Parallels running Windows XP with ArcView 9 (plus ESRI applications program group) in foreground
I. Web-based GIS
Online mapping is the way that many students and educators are now getting engaged with GIS. It is a powerful option, totally appropriate and satisfactory for many. Using Web-based interactive mapping tools, students and teachers can learn that they get to control the map, and begin to understand some important principles of cartography (scale, projection, symbolization, etc) simply by seeing lots of maps. Examples here include:
These and other sites can typically be viewed from either Windows or Macintosh machines. Interactive websites in general are often sensitive to browsers, and online mapping sites can be a challenge for some brands of browsers while working well on others. Frequently used mapping sites such as these usually respond well to at least one brand of browser on Macintosh, but users may need to do some experimentation.
Find more information about webmapping.
II. ArcExplorer-Java Edition for Education (AEJEE)
http://www.esri.com/aejee
This cross-platform tool designed expressly for educators was introduced in 2004. Built in Java, AEJEE runs fine under the latest MacOS, as well as Windows. This free, downloadable, lightweight tool allows users to view GIS data from local sources (hard drive or LAN) or ArcIMS servers over the Internet, similar to ArcGIS desktop products. It can save and open projects, and users can share these even across platforms. AEJEE has a basic layout capacity. It has several classification options, substantial flexibility for symbology, and can do complex queries, buffers, and even some geographic selection. It can create point shapefiles from XY tables (like GPS data files) and handle hotlinks (using absolute paths) to web addresses or any registered file type. For many beginning GIS users, on either Macintosh or Windows, AEJEE has all the power needed. The very important intro set of lessons is built into the installation, in the \ESRI\AEJEE\DATA\LESSONS folder, and can be accessed from the Help menu.
Find more information about AEJEE.
III. Windows-based tools under Virtual PC
http://www.microsoft.com/mac/products/virtualpc/virtualpc.aspx
Microsoft sells a product for non-Intel-based Macintosh computers called Virtual PC. This allows a Mac user to load a full copy of Windows OS (such as Win2000 or WinXP) and then install and run PC-based software. Both AEJEE and ArcView 9 and extensions can operate under Virtual PC. There are some tradeoffs here. There is a significant performance hit as the Mac runs an emulator which runs the software. Also, the current version 7 creates what amounts to a Pentium II computer, rather below current true PC machines. Finally, the user must have a properly licensed OS (such as WinXP) and software, and be facile with running Windows under a Mac environment. It can be done, and processes can be tested and demonstrated effectively in a classroom setting, if the data sets engaged are of modest size. The more analysis that is called for, the slower the operation is.
IV. Windows-based tools under BootCamp
http://www.apple.com/macosx/bootcamp
Apple has released a product called BootCamp (currently under Beta, but reported to be included within MacOS 10.5 and higher) which allows the Intel-based Macs to load a full version of WinXP, and run Windows applications at "full speed." Upon boot-up, the user chooses to boot into MacOS or into Windows. The testing done by ESRI staff and others seems to confirm that such a setup is indeed able to run Windows and applications at "full speed", and that ArcGIS applications are able to run even heavy-duty analytical operations very swiftly. The key here is that the user must have a properly licensed copy of WinXP and must be facile with running Windows.
V. Windows-based tools under Parallels
http://www.parallels.com/en/products/desktop/
Parallels has released a product called Parallels Desktop for Mac which allows the Intel-based Macs to load a full version of Windows (many versions) and run applications at "high speed." The user can move back and forth between Windows and MacOS applications. Testing done by ESRI staff and others seem to confirm that such a setup works quite well, and current versions of ArcGIS applications run swiftly even for analytical operations, though perhaps not quite as fast as on a native PC or under BootCamp (since memory is split between the two operating systems). Here again, the user must have a properly licensed copy of Windows and must be facile with running Windows-based applications
VI. My World
http://www.geode.northwestern.edu/myworld/
Northwestern University has developed a GIS called My World, which engages ESRI's MapObjects Java technology. My World is distributed by Pasco Scientific (http://www.pasco.com/myworld/). Built in Java, My World runs on Macintosh OSX and Windows environments. It provides a subset of capacities from a professional GIS environment, including multiple projections, table and map view, hyperlinks, and a common language approach to conducting analyses. It provides a powerful alternative for schools seeking tools that do not require Windows.
Final Thoughts
For educators just getting started with GIS on Macintosh OSX, AEJEE is a good choice, as a free, lightweight, introductory tool. Anyone needing full capacity GIS on Macintosh hardware should consider BootCamp or Parallels, which can run ArcGIS under Windows at or near full speed.
| 
ArcWeb Explorer http://www.arcwebservices.com/awx 
