shrug-l: ESRI Cost

Fri, 26 Aug 2005 09:19:28 -0400

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ESRI sells its products to universities at a 90% discount or more -It's
amazing on initial purchase.  It makes sense that ESRI wants its products
used in colleges across the country. 
An ArcGIS lab kit is licensed for 30 desktops. 

Annual support costs are not discounted.  Some vendors [AMI in Jacksonville,
for example] offer nominal support discounts - on the order of 10%.
You could buy new lab kits each year since the first year support is
included - but it would be unethical and ESRI would catch on pretty quickly.

I have heard good things about GRASS - the raster-based GIS tool you
mentioned. 

I set up my first mapping section in 1986.   
I was advised by wizards in DEP/DNR Beaches and Shores and State Lands to
choose software compatible with the rest of the agency and my primary data
sources. Then and today AutoDesk and ESRI were and remain the leading
formats.  

When you buy ArcGIS or AutoCAD Map you buy the software and technical
support - very good technical support. 

William Porter
GIS Application Coordinator
Email:  william.porter@famu.edu
Florida A&M University
Information Technology Systems
Lee hall Suite 303
Tallahassee FL 32307
(850) 599 3560  Main Office

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ESRI sells its =
products to universities at a 90% discount or more -It's amazing on =
initial purchase.&nbsp; It makes sense that ESRI wants its products used =
in colleges across the country.

An ArcGIS lab kit is =
licensed for 30 desktops.

<P><FONT COLOR=3D"#800000" SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Annual support costs =
are not discounted.&nbsp; Some vendors [AMI in Jacksonville, for =
example] offer nominal support discounts - on the order of =
10%.</FONT></P>

<P><FONT COLOR=3D"#800000" SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">You could buy new lab =
kits each year since the first year support is included - but it would =
be unethical and ESRI would catch on pretty quickly.&nbsp; </FONT></P>

I have heard good =
things about GRASS - the raster-based GIS tool you mentioned.

<P><FONT COLOR=3D"#800000" SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">I set up my first =
mapping section in 1986.&nbsp;&nbsp; </FONT>

I was advised by =
wizards in DEP/DNR Beaches and Shores and State Lands to choose software =
compatible with the rest of the agency and my primary data sources. Then =
and today AutoDesk and ESRI were and remain the leading formats.&nbsp; =

When you buy ArcGIS =
or AutoCAD Map you buy the software and technical support - very good =
technical support.

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial Unicode MS">William Porter</FONT><BR>
<FONT COLOR=3D"#400000" SIZE=3D1 FACE=3D"Arial">GIS Application =
Coordinator</FONT><BR>
<FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Email:=A0 </FONT><A =
HREF=3D"mailto:william.porter@famu.edu"><U><FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" =
SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">william.porter@famu.edu</FONT></U></A><BR>
<B></B><B><FONT COLOR=3D"#008080" SIZE=3D1 FACE=3D"Arial">Florida =
A&amp;M University<BR>
Information Technology Systems<BR>
Lee hall Suite 303<BR>
Tallahassee FL 32307<BR>
</FONT></B><FONT COLOR=3D"#400000" SIZE=3D1 FACE=3D"Arial">(850) 599 =
3560=A0 Main Office<BR>
</FONT>

<BR><FONT FACE=3D"Arial">=A0</FONT>

<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 =
FACE=3D"Arial">=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0</FONT>=20
</P>

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