I might augment your predictions a little: I suspect that the average MI
user is getting tired of cosmetic upgrades that cost > $500. Much less, many
of us are not real nuts about MapExtreme, the big price tag and the profound
lack of ease in implementation. (The lack of Internet capable mapping from
the major vendors is overwhelming) There is no way that the wool-dyed MI
user can support any notion that MI Corp is listening to the ... user, that
is, their customers who have the greatest capacity to really use the
product. I would take issue with your comments, or the tone concerning
"cheap" Low price doesn't mean necessarily cheap. it might mean that a
competitor is attempting an end-run and trying to break through the current
dominance in the market by AV and MI. I would say the same for AV. MI has a
lot of nice features, AV has a few, but there are other products that have
long since passed by and catching up ... and they are cheaper. Taking on the
metaphor of "Rule Makers and Rule Breakers" - www.motleyfool.com the popular
investment site, MI is neither. ESRI remains the "Rule Maker" - it is the
dominant force in GIS and ... makes the rules. MI and everyone else must at
best be the occasional mosquito as far as a threat to their dominance goes.
It was once a "Rule Breaker" ... it did new innovative things and to some
extent still does. (Compare ESRI magazine with MapWorld - no comparison.
MapWorld is by any measure an almost pathetic competitor.) In my view MI
does neither - it doesn't make the rules and it sure doesn't break them. But
"Rule Breakers" are appearing, and one of these days whether its Manifold,
or Caliper, or GeoMedia, or who knows who ... there will appear a
substantive competitor unless ESRI or MI can get make some changes. I
predict ESRI will make some, and MI will miss the boat. (the American Way
and all that)
One of these days there is going to be a GIS vendor who responds to
customers, doesn't always have its hand out, provides credible tech support
that ordinary people can afford, training that non-high-end business types
can put in their budget (read government and education), etc. WHEN that
happens, AV and MI users are going to leave the sinking ship like the
proverbial rats. Dick Hoskins
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
GIS uses in public health summer course:
http://healthlinks.washington.edu/inpho/gis/course.html
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Thoen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Friday, May 05, 2000 10:14 AM
Subject: Re: Anyone used MI 6.0 yet?
> It's not shipping yet. June 1st is the scheduled date for North
> America. I think the only thing out now is the beta version,
> which no one is supposed to talk about in public.
>
> I think that most people actively using MapInfo now will upgrade.
> Casual users will probably think harder about it, but I really
> think most people will get it. A certain percentage will almost
> certainly try one of the cheap competitors, but will be back here
> in a year or so saying that their alternative makes a nice
> supplement to MapInfo. A smaller percentage will leave forever,
> and probably throw out all commercial software and switch to
> Linux and GRASS. At least that's what will happen if history is
> any guide to the present.
>
> - Bill Thoen
>
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> >
> > Just curious,
> > does anyone have any experiences with MI 6.0 yet along with any comments
> > on new features or views on if many users will flock to the recent
> > upgrade.
> >
> > any comments would be appreciated
> >
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