-------- Original Message --------
Subject:        GIS students need database skills
Date:   Wed, 2 Aug 2006 10:16:10 -0500
From:   Angie


To:     maps-l


Publisher's Note:
Last week's GeoPoll asked what you believe is GIS/IT's main barrier
to true enterprise-wide integration. More than 41 percent say there's
not enough management support for integration; nearly 20 percent say
there are too few geospatial professionals who understand database
technology; 17 percent believe that too few database administrators
understand GIS; and only 2 percent say that database technology is
too expensive. Nearly 20 percent fell into the "other" category.

Most of the "others" believe it's a combination of "all of the
above." As one pointed out, many GIS professionals understand
database technology in general, but they may not be experts. On the
other hand, the average DBA would need to gain a comprehensive
knowledge of GIS.

A few pointed out some solutions to the problem--such as any GIS
training should require database modeling and design as a part of the
curricula, or that senior-level GIS job classifications should
require literacy in IT skills. As one pointed out, the situation
isn't static--some barriers have already been surpassed. Many
functionality issues in the software have been addressed in the last
couple of years, but implementation will take time.

This got us to wondering, how much time will it take before IT and
GIS are truly integrated. Will it ever happen? Or are they destined
to be standalone technologies? Please take a moment to answer our
survey, and we'll report back next week.

Jo Treadwell
VP/Group Publisher
[log in to unmask]

-

~*:._