Spaced Out ::

Esri have just published a free online and PDF book called The ArcGIS Book. In Esri style, it is beautifully produced and presented with an eye for layout, typography and map design. Esri have always been strong supporters of publication and education, although Id probably say its more aligned to edutising - part education, part advertising. If you live inside the Esri garden they are very good accompanying products - this one, subtitled “10 big ideas about applying geography to your world” is largely an educational user guide to ArcGIS Online. It does this very well covering an intro, catography, story maps, data, spatial analysis, 3D, apps, mobile, real-time and back to web GIS. There are explanations, interviews, online videos and practical lessons to support all this. If you are an Esri convert its an excellent guide sitting between a textbook and an online course (and Esri have form here as well), designed to support those either in education or those wanting to be self-taught.

Of course it won’t give you anything outside the Esri world and that’s where you’ll miss out on wider spatial and non-spatial developments. But as a resource, use it as its very good.