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GIS... I hate it.

BurlyShirley

Rex Grossman Will Rise Again
Jul 4, 2002
19,180
17
TN
I've had a few software classes over years, but... this is a real pain in the ass. I thought I would be super-student this go-around, taking this class at night beyond my normal load, and really try to juice up my resume by claiming to be competent with this stuff... what a mistake. The LAST thing I want to do is sit in front of a computer fooling with maps. I'll finish this class, but no more for me. My hat's off to anyone who has mastered it.
 

MikeD

Leader and Demogogue of the Ridemonkey Satinists
Oct 26, 2001
11,669
1,713
chez moi
why would anyone need a map of the ass? I mean the topology and layout are virtually identical on almost all models of ass.
1. Varying foliage

2. Different chasms, fissures, and sinkholes caused by both catastrophic incidents and erosion.
 

laura

DH_Laura
Jul 16, 2002
6,259
15
Glitter Gulch
Well really it's pretty easy to make a bogus ass map. I could do that in paint too.
GIS classes are horrible. Especially the entry level classes. What you need to do is find someone doing watershed/landuse/native fish population migration/ whatever-the-****-you-are semi-interested-in, and ask them if you can help with some map development. They'll have all the sweet, interesting shape files, aerials etc. And they can tell you how to use the software in a way that will actually be meaningful to the work you are interested in. I love GIS. I wish there was a market for it up here. i need to get back in to it before I forget how to use it.
 

Krzr3000

Monkey
Apr 24, 2005
113
0
Yeh...it sucks until you take the specific applications classes. Intro was hell for me, as the prof. was the knows-it-all inside out and expects the same from you type. There are so many opportunities for this stuff though, it can be applied to anything and pretty much every town has a GIS department now. At least here in the NE.
 

geargrrl

Turbo Monkey
May 2, 2002
2,379
1
pnw -dry side
GIS classes are horrible. Especially the entry level classes. What you need to do is find someone doing watershed/landuse/native fish population migration/ whatever-the-****-you-are semi-interested-in, and ask them if you can help with some map development. They'll have all the sweet, interesting shape files, aerials etc. And they can tell you how to use the software in a way that will actually be meaningful to the work you are interested in. I love GIS. I wish there was a market for it up here. i need to get back in to it before I forget how to use it.
I've learned some GIS by the seat of my pants this year. Our club got a grant for ArcGIS, with no training included. We have an open space project that we are doing a trail inventory on. We've gotten lots of hands-on help for specific tasks from the head of the GIS dept at the U; a local community college instructor, the county GIS guys and a pro here and there. It's been really fun (if challenging/frustrating at times) learning as we go, on a project that has great importance to us. At one point, the head of the GIS dept told us we were past his first year students in what we were doing.
 

laura

DH_Laura
Jul 16, 2002
6,259
15
Glitter Gulch
I've learned some GIS by the seat of my pants this year. Our club got a grant for ArcGIS, with no training included. We have an open space project that we are doing a trail inventory on. We've gotten lots of hands-on help for specific tasks from the head of the GIS dept at the U; a local community college instructor, the county GIS guys and a pro here and there. It's been really fun (if challenging/frustrating at times) learning as we go, on a project that has great importance to us. At one point, the head of the GIS dept told us we were past his first year students in what we were doing.
If you actually apply the skills, it's a pretty easy program to learn the basics of, IMO.
 

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
Tough it out Burly.

GIS is all about context. If you don't see how's applicable, its all a bunch of tools without any clear use. Like Laura said find someone using it to something applicable and try to get an internship and figure it out form there.