ArcGIS 8.x or 9.x

What is ArcGIS?

ArcGIS  consists of three key parts:

• ArcGIS desktop (ArcView, ArcEditor and ArcInfo) for GIS applications.  It runs only under Windows (NT, 2000, and XP).
• ArcSDE gateway, an interface for managing geodatabases in a database management system (DBMS).
• ArcIMS, an Internet-based GIS for distributing data and services.

What is ArcGIS Desktop?

The ArcGIS Desktop is a comprehensive, integrated, scalable GIS system. It includes a suite of integrated applications: ArcMap, ArcCatalog, and ArcToolbox. It can be accessed using three software products (ArcView, ArcEditor and ArcInfo), providing three levels of functionality.  The current version of ArcGIS is 9.0.

What is ArcView 8.x or 9.x?

ArcView 8.x is a stand-alone GIS as well as the entry point to ArcGIS. The interface of ArcView 8.x or 9.x is very different from that of ArcView 3.x. ArcView 8.x or 9.x maintains the base functionality of ArcView 3.x but adds a number of improvements. New features include a catalog for browsing and managing data, on-the-fly coordinate and datum projection, metadata creation, customization with built-in VBA, new editor tools, support for static annotation, enhanced cartographic tools, and direct access to Internet data.

What is ArcEditor 8.x or 9.x?

ArcEditor is new with version 8.x or later. Its capabilities fall between those of ArcView and ArcInfo. ArcEditor includes all the functionality of ArcView and adds the capability of editing features in a multi-user geodatabase or coverage. Additional functionality includes support for multi-user editing, versioning, custom feature classes, feature-linked annotation, dimensioning, and rasters in a multi-user geodatabase. ArcEditor allows you to create and edit all ESRI-supported vector data formats including shapefiles, coverages, personal geodatabases, and multi-user geodatabases.

What is ArcInfo 8.x or 9.x?

ArcInfo is the complete GIS data creation, update, query, mapping, and analysis system. ArcInfo is composed of ArcInfo Desktop and ArcInfo Workstation.

ArcInfo Desktop includes all the functionality of ArcEditor and adds a complete set of data management, analysis, and conversion tools to the ArcToolbox application. With these tools, you can perform data conversion, generalization, aggregation, overlays, buffer creation, statistical calculations, and much more. Each of these tools has a menu-driven interface with wizards where appropriate. ArcInfo Desktop operates on Windows NT, 2000 and XP.

ArcGIS Extensions

The capabilities of all three levels can be further extended using a series of optional add-on software extensions:

• ArcGIS Spatial Analyst - Surface creation, raster analysis, and grid algebra; combines the capabilities of ArcView Spatial Analyst and ARC GRID.
• ArcGIS 3D Analyst - Three-dimensional visualization and analysis; ArcScene is for you visualize and analyze surface data; ArcGlobe allows you to manage and visualize, from a local or global perspective, extremely large sets of three-dimensional geographic data.
• ArcGIS Geostatistical Analyst - For advanced surface interpolation and exploratory spatial data analysis.
• ArcGIS StreetMap USA - United States street display and geocoding.
• ArcPress for ArcGIS - Graphics metafile rasterizer that improves color output control and printing speed; combines ArcPress for ArcInfo and ArcPress for ArcView GIS.
• MrSID Encoder for ArcGIS - Produces MrSID images from input images up to 500 MB; mosaics MrSID images.
• ArcGIS Schematics - (formerly known as NG Spatial)  automate schematic and geoschematic graphical representations of ESRI ArcGIS geodatabases.

• ArcScan - Raster-to-vector conversion extension. This extension lets you create vector features and also provides batch vectorization capabilities to create vector features from a selected area or the entire image.

• ArcGIS Survey Analyst - manages survey data in a geodatabase and represents survey measurements and observations on a map. It provides the tools to allow professional surveyors and GIS technicians to work together in an integrated system.

• The ArcGIS Tracking Analyst -  a visualization and analysis tool for simple or complex applications. It allows users to view and analyze existing temporal data, which can be set up with future time windows (for mission planning) or past time windows (for historical data analysis).

What is ArcInfo Workstation 9.x?

ArcInfo Workstation provides geoprocessing via the classic user interface (ARC, ARCEDIT, ARCPLOT, ARC Macro Language [AML], and more). In addition to providing the user environment familiar to many ArcInfo users and found in existing GIS applications, ArcInfo Workstation includes geoprocessing functionality. ArcInfo Workstation operates on Windows NT, Windows 2000, and several UNIX platforms (HP, IBM, SGI, Solaris, True64).

ArcGIS Desktop Licenses

ArcView and ArcEditor  are available with either a single use or a concurrent use license. Regardless of the license type, the functionality of the software is identical. In contrast, ArcInfo is only available with a concurrent use licenses which require a software key hardware key and a license file. Floating license update from version 8.x to version 9.0 need a new license manager 9.0  and a new license file.

Single Use Licenses
Single use licenses are available for ArcView and ArcEditor license. They permit software operation on only one computer and do not require a license manager. The licensing structure is similar to that of ArcView GIS 3.x,

Concurrent Use Licenses (Floating License)
A concurrent use license allows you to install ArcGIS on as many machines as you want. The license manager, installed on one machine on the network, only allows a specific number of copies of the software to be run simultaneously. This means that more users/systems can have the software installed than will actually be using it at any one time. A hardware key and a license file are required for the Concurrent use licenses.

ArcGIS Extensions
In a similar method, the ArcGIS extensions are also licensed in single use and concurrent use versions. The host software determines the type of license required. Single use extensions only operate with the single use version of ArcView. Concurrent use extensions operate with ArcInfo, and  the concurrent use version of ArcView and ArcEditor. This feature adds a new degree of flexibility because ArcGIS extensions can either be licensed to operate with a single use version of ArcView and ArcEditor or shared on a network.

How to Choose the Software and License on the ArcGIS Desktop 9.x?

If you are only ordering one copy of ArcView or ArcEditor, you would most likely to choose the Single Use version. After you install ArcView and Extensions (Extensions are available on the same distribution CD) , you need to send the registration request to Software Central (you have to request the extensions too).

If you are running several copies of ArcView or ArcEditor on the same subnet, you could use the floating license version. You need to order a hardware key and request the correct number of seats for both the software and the extensions from Software Central. Only one hardware key and one license file are needed.  You use one computer as the license manager, install the hardware key and the license file on that computer. The software running on other machines on your subnet all access the licenses on the license manager computer.

If you are using ArcInfo, only a floating license is available. You have to order a hardware key and request the number of seats for the software and extensions from Software Central.

A detailed Installation Guide and License Administrator's Guide are available on the Software CDs.

Contact atsgis@ucla.edu with questions or problems regarding the use of ESRI products.