That is exactly what the Environmental Protection Agency is doing with its ESRI GIS and Oracle database, said Dave Wolf, Internet geoservices manager in the EPA s office of environmental information. The existing users of spatial information are moving from proprietary databases, and they are consolidating that information into a central database. Using popular data types also makes it easier for agencies to share data, according to Wolf. Making GIS applications available to a wider audience helps people outside the GIS community understand the value of their work, said Jeff Cotter, program manager in the Justice Department s Justice Management Division. Then the strength of the application sells itself.
People are incredibly impressed.