1. GTECH 709 How to get ArcGIS and FOSS software
Download sites
Install instructions
For different software packages and operating systems

2. Software Used in This Course
ArcGIS Online (GeoCommons)
Quantum GIS (QGIS)
CartoDB
ArcGIS Desktop
ArcCatalog
ArcMap
ArcToolbox
Saga GIS

3. ArcGIS Online + GeoCommons
Both are web services; i.e., all you need is a web browser and an account
You will need to create your own accounts
ArcGIS Online
GeoCommons

4. Quantum GIS (QGIS)
The most wide-spread free and open source desktop GIS
Download for your OS of choice from here
Choose your operating system and follow the instructions
In Fall 2014, we work with version 2.4 “Chugiak”
Bookmark the documentation URL
Use BB discussion board if you have questions (or answers)

5. QGIS Note for Mac Users If you use OS X Snow Leopard of Mt Lion
Download and install GDAL 1.9 first
GSL Frameworks 1.16 second, and then
QGIS
Linux users should consult the QGIS download page for information on their distro

6. CartoDB Another web service-based GIS / mapping software
Sign-up for a free account
We are working on setting up our own Hunter-based CartoDB server, which would give you more files / disk space to work with
Stay tuned for news on that

7. ArcGIS Desktop (1) The most commonly used commercial GIS
It runs on MS Windows only.
You have three options:
Ask your instructor for download instructions and educational license code (requires Windows)
If you have a powerful Mac, install Windows emulation software (e.g. ‘Parallels’) and then proceed with solution 1 above
Log onto Hunter’s Virtual Desktop

8. ArcGIS Desktop (2) ArcGIS Desktop consists of multiple programs
ArcCatalog to organize your GIS data
ArcMap to create maps and analyze your data
ArcToolbox to develop workflows of GIS procedures (concatenations of GIS processing steps)
There are other components of ArcGIS Desktop that we will not use in this course

9. SAGA GIS Another free and open desktop GIS
Specializing on working with raster data
Can also be used for remote sensing purposes
More user-friendly than GRASS GIS
Extremely powerful on 64-bit Linux and Windows
Download from sourceforge
For GTECH 709, you can also use ArcGIS Desktop with the SpatialAnalyst extension