Just in case you've been living under a rock, or maybe have been on vacation - ESRI recently released their latest version of their FREE ArcGIS Explorer software. This new release from ESRI represents a very significant advancement in both functionality and ease-to-use for non-GIS professionals to access, visualize, use and present geospatial information.

IGIC continues to seek-out and promote any free and easy-to-use GIS tools that can help expand both the business community and general publics access to geospatial information. The IndianaMap (our premier project) currently makes over 200 layers of statewide geospatial information available on-line for viewing, down loading, and as web services (http://www.indianamap.org). In 2005 & 2006 as part of Indiana's statewide orthophotography project, we made Indiana's new imagery and framework data layers readily available and usable through custom ESRI ArcReader and DDTI AccuGlobe viewing applications, and by sharing our imagery with Google Map/Earth, and Microsoft VirtualEarth.

I'm very excited about ESRI's new ArcGIS Explorer 900 product. This new software provides the best functionality from these other tools through a easy-to-use ribbon interface, provides both 2D maps and 3D globe options, provides easy access to pre-published maps/globes, layer packages and web services, allows custom mash-ups with your own data, allows API (.NET programming) customization, plus gives the user the ability to create and save dynamic/interactive map presentations.

Click here to view a brief product demo from the ESRI User Conference plenary session:
http://gisupdates.esri.com/video/uc2009/UC09_6_Explorer_Demo_Dev_Te.wmv

Click here to go to ESRI's ArcGIS Explorer product blog for more information and links to download ArcGIS Explorer 900:

http://blogs.esri.com/Info/blogs/arcgisexplorerblog/archive/2009/08/13/what-s-new-in-arcgis-explorer.aspx