ESRI adds Microsoft Virtual Earth to ArcGIS Online

21 August 2008, 12:01pm

London, 21 August, 2008 - ESRI (UK) announces that ArcGIS users will have access to the robust mapping and imagery content provided by the Microsoft Virtual Earth platform inside its forthcoming release of ArcGIS 9.3 Desktop. ArcGIS users will be able to easily add base maps, which feature rich aerial and hybrid views, to perform data creation, editing, analysis, authoring, and map publishing with one-click access.

The new release means that ArcGIS desktop users, and ArcGIS Explorer users, can now apply sophisticated mapping to a variety of projects, such as land planning, site selection, crime analysis, road network analysis, and delivery network management.

"Microsoft and ESRI have a long-standing history of delivering complete geographic information systems solutions," said Erik Jorgenson, corporate vice president at Microsoft Corp. "The integration of Virtual Earth and ArcGIS 9.3 at both desktop application and platform levels enables customers to better view, analyse, understand, interpret, and visualize geographic data. This new offering further extends the software-plus-services choices available to our mutual customers."

"By combining Virtual Earth and ArcGIS Online services, ArcGIS 9.3 will enable our customers to access resources that add comprehensive depth to their projects,” explained Charles Kennelly, chief technology officer, ESRI (UK). “This release continues in the ESRI tradition of providing a complete, interoperable and integrated server-based GIS, with the addition of virtually instant access to some of the world’s finest base map layers.”

ArcGIS Server users will be able to connect to ArcGIS Online Virtual Earth Map Services at a later date, through a service pack.

ArcGIS 9.3

Geo: International