Welcome to the inaugural edition of “A Closer Look,” and thank you so much for signing up! We may both come to regret the decision, but until then, let’s have some fun. Five decades ago, Jack Dangermond and his wife Laura started a boutique consultancy with a rather grandiose name: Environmental Systems Research Institute. Over time, “E-S-R-I” has simplified to just “Esri.” I’ve always thought it was a beautiful sounding name, like a forgotten Egyptian god or the name you might get stuck with if you were born on a hippy commune.
A little history... Before ArcGIS Online, it was ArcData Online (ADOL), ArcWeb Services (remember arcims?), and Geography Network. My career arc at Esri included all of them. Main focus was always providing web access to maps and data. Might depend how you define "cloud" to say which of the above was first.
There's also something else that ESRI and their country subsidiaries do quite well regarding the community part. Patting on their clients backs. During the UCs hundred of awards are issued to their best clients, even for very entry level projects. Again, this enforces the slow moving organisations to keep the "good work", aka keeping loyal to the products. This, together with free licences and materials for education are, IMHO, their bigger marketing weapons.
2. This article makes it clear to me (after months of murkiness) why my graduate program requires the study of ArcGIS, while also pushing a newer thread of courses in R/Python + public policy data viz. Jobs are jobs, I guess!
3. I do think it's kind of awesome that the Dangermonds decided to settle in Redlands, CA, and could give a damn about your concerns about that decision. My introduction to Esri came through the book "Our Towns" (James and Deborah Fallows). I couldn't find that blurb online, but did find this interview (posted on Esri's website, interestingly enough): https://www.esri.com/about/newsroom/publications/wherenext/growth-insights-getting-ahead-of-the-countrys-changes/.
There is no mention of how badly their products suck to use. ArcGIS Desktop hasn't had a stable release since about 2006, with ArcMap 9.1. Since then, every release has major bugs (like not being able to deleted a field in a table) that never get resolved. Their desktop software is actually slower and less reliable now than it was 20 years ago. ArcGIS Online is a total drag to learn and use. Simple things like adding a KML overlay are nigh impossible, and managing data and projects online is a nightmare. ArcGIS Pro has been out for 5 years and still feels like a buggy beta version. Basically unusable. #fuckesri
Former Esri here, specifically in the services side. FWIW I never saw Professional Services given away. I'd also question the idea of them unfairly competing. It's a bold thing to put in a write-up like this with nothing at all that substantiates it. Lastly, I see a pretty obvious person to take over for Jack when he decides its time (or if time decides its him). I imagine the ownership structure ends up more in a trust/foundation that funds causes he cares about rather than an ESOP.
A little history... Before ArcGIS Online, it was ArcData Online (ADOL), ArcWeb Services (remember arcims?), and Geography Network. My career arc at Esri included all of them. Main focus was always providing web access to maps and data. Might depend how you define "cloud" to say which of the above was first.
There's also something else that ESRI and their country subsidiaries do quite well regarding the community part. Patting on their clients backs. During the UCs hundred of awards are issued to their best clients, even for very entry level projects. Again, this enforces the slow moving organisations to keep the "good work", aka keeping loyal to the products. This, together with free licences and materials for education are, IMHO, their bigger marketing weapons.
Joe - thanks for this!
1. Dynamite logo for your Substack.
2. This article makes it clear to me (after months of murkiness) why my graduate program requires the study of ArcGIS, while also pushing a newer thread of courses in R/Python + public policy data viz. Jobs are jobs, I guess!
3. I do think it's kind of awesome that the Dangermonds decided to settle in Redlands, CA, and could give a damn about your concerns about that decision. My introduction to Esri came through the book "Our Towns" (James and Deborah Fallows). I couldn't find that blurb online, but did find this interview (posted on Esri's website, interestingly enough): https://www.esri.com/about/newsroom/publications/wherenext/growth-insights-getting-ahead-of-the-countrys-changes/.
Great piece Joe! Something I've wondered about: What's going to happen when Jack dies? No-one I know at Esri has any idea what the succession plan is.
There is no mention of how badly their products suck to use. ArcGIS Desktop hasn't had a stable release since about 2006, with ArcMap 9.1. Since then, every release has major bugs (like not being able to deleted a field in a table) that never get resolved. Their desktop software is actually slower and less reliable now than it was 20 years ago. ArcGIS Online is a total drag to learn and use. Simple things like adding a KML overlay are nigh impossible, and managing data and projects online is a nightmare. ArcGIS Pro has been out for 5 years and still feels like a buggy beta version. Basically unusable. #fuckesri
I disagree. Esri will be stopped it is just a question of how long will it take.
Former Esri here, specifically in the services side. FWIW I never saw Professional Services given away. I'd also question the idea of them unfairly competing. It's a bold thing to put in a write-up like this with nothing at all that substantiates it. Lastly, I see a pretty obvious person to take over for Jack when he decides its time (or if time decides its him). I imagine the ownership structure ends up more in a trust/foundation that funds causes he cares about rather than an ESOP.