What is a GIS Software ?
Geographic Information System software or GIS Softwares are computer-based tools for mapping and analysing things that exist and events that occur on earth surface. It is capable of capturing, storing, analysing and displaying geographically referenced information.
Which GIS Software to choose ?
Various GIS softwares are available in industry. Every GIS Software maker claims their software to be better than others which makes it difficult to choose the needed GIS software. The table below gives the name of software, its utility & its company. You can then decide which software will work best for you depending on your need.
List of GIS Softwares
| 1 | Arc View, Arc GIS, Arc Info | Mapping, data analysis & data sharing | ESRI | |||
| 2 | ERDAS Imagine | Image Processing | ERDAS | |||
| 3 | Map Info Professional | Mapping & data analysis | Map Info | |||
| 4 | Geo Media Professional | Mapping, data analysis & data sharing | Rolta | |||
| 5 | Small World | Public Utilities | Small World | |||
| 6 | TNTmips | Mapping, Image Processing & GPS | OPSIS System | |||
| 7 | IDRISI | GIS and Image Processing | ||||
| 8 | Map 3D, Topobase, Map Guide | Digitization & access to CAD and GIS data | AutoDesk | |||
| 9 | ENVI | Image analysis, mining & exploitation etc. | ENVI | |||
| 10 | Web 2.0 (Geospatial Web 2.0 Platform (GWeb 2.0) | allows users to interact and add content on web (Examples of Web 2.0 include social networking sites, blogs, video sharing sites, web applications) | ||||
| 11 | VGI (Volunteered Geographical Information) | ability to capture and share real time Geographical Information | ||||
Most widely used GIS Softwares
At present there are many softwares available in market. Some of the major companies in this field are : ESRI (For mapping & analyzing), Autodesk (with GIS capabilities), ERDAS
Imagine (for Image Processing), Intergraph – Geomedia Professional , Map Info -MapInfo Professional, Small World (Public Utility), OPSIS SYSTEM-TNTmips Pro (Mapping & Image
Processing) etc. The most widely used software is from ESRI which is considered among most reputed brand with large number of clients. ESRI has its GIS software with name ArcGIS.
Read about: Remote Sensing, Who uses GIS, Use of GIS application, Bhuvan
