ArcGIS Desktop, Pro, and ArcMap Support
The ITS Sitelicense Program is the contact for licensing the software listed below for WSU affiliates.
For new site license requests, renewal questions, installation support and user account management assistance please reach out to: its.sitelicense@wsu.edu
ESRI Software
ESRI makes ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS PRO and ArcMap (i.e., ArcGIS for Desktop 10.x, including ArcMap, ArcCatalog and ArcToolbox). They also make “extensions” that extend the functionality of both ArcGIS Pro and/or ArcMap (i.e., Spatial Analyst or 3D Analyst).
In addition ESRI offers ArcGIS Online (AGOL) which provides tools to create, store and manage maps online (some of which can be used for free with a public account). WSU students and staff who are affiliated with a department that has an active agreement with the WSU site license can use ArcGIS Online that is connected to the WSU AGOL Organization by sending an email to libraries.helpdesk@wsu.edu.
ArcGIS PRO
ArcGIS Pro requires that the user also has an ArcGIS Online user account that is connected to the WSU ArcGIS Online Organization and an active agreement with the WSU site license.
ArcGIS Desktop vs ArcGIS PRO
PLEASE NOTE: Esri has chosen not to renew the license for ArcGIS Desktop. After September 7th, 2024 Desktop will no longer be available for use at WSU.
ArcGIS Desktop and ArcGIS PRO provide similar functionality in terms of tools for spatial analysis, data management and cartography. PRO is the more recent software and ESRI has stated that they are no longer developing Desktop (ArcMAP), though they will continue to support it for a limited time. As of 2024 the majority of GIS professionals (and thus most jobs) continue to use ArcMAP. However, that is beginning to change and it is clear that ESRI is strongly encouraging its users to transition to Pro. Moreover, students taking an Introductory level GIS course in 2020 will likely be looking for jobs in a future that increasingly uses ArcGIS PRO. As of September 7th, 2024 Desktop will no longer be available for use at WSU.
Free and Open Source GIS Software
- QGIS / Quantum GIS
- AccuGlobe (GIS viewer and simple editing/geoprocessing)
- DIVA-GIS (& climate data)
- Forestry GIS (fGIS)
- GRASS GIS
- ITC’s ILWIS
- MapWindow (GPS connection, editing, geoprocessing, etc.)
- Open JUMP
- SAGA
- uDig
- Whitebox
- Open Source Geospatial Foundation
ESRI and GIS Tutorials
- GIS File Formats
- Online Tutorial Links (GIS Lounge)
- UTexas List of ArcView (3.x) Tips and Tutorials
- ArcInfo (Command Line) Tutorial by University of Delaware. Note: “Strauss” is the name of their computer, the details of the tutorial should apply to any ArcInfo system as well.
- ESRI’s Mapping Center (Blogs, Cartographic Resources, etc.)
- Introduction to ArcGIS (MIT)
- Intro to GIS (GIS Geography)
- GIS Basics (Esri)
- Intro To ArcView 3.x (UCLA)
- IDRISI Tutorial (Eric Lorup)
- GIS Tutorials (GIS, Analysis, Data, GPS, Remote Sensing, Image Processing, Projections) (GIS Development)
- What is GIS? (GIS.com)
- Overview of GIS
- Sketch-Up for Dummies – Videos
- Tom Patterson’s Shaded Relief
- ESRI’s Mapping Center
- GIS (Overview)
- USGS GIS Tutorials
- USGS User Guides (including STDS)
- GISuser Guide to USGS Data
- GeoCommunity Data Resources