GIS Software you could use while working with GITTA

Overview

If you start working with GITTA and especially GITTA case studies, you will need to install a GIS software. This page presents the most common GIS software products used. Please note that with some vendors we have special "GITTA-deals" (e.g. for ArcGIS) and for other we just provide the links to the demo- or trial version. For a detailed list of GIS software products please have a look at our lesson "Into the GIS market".

Product	Company	Operating System (OS)	EDU?
ArcGIS	ESRI	Windows	Yes: 1 year free
GeoMedia	Intergraph	Windows	Yes: 1 year free
MapInfo	MapInfo	Windows	YES: EDU Price or 20-day demo
TNT	MicroImages	Windows, MacOS X, Linux and Unix	YES: EDU Price or free TNTlite
Quantum GIS	-	Windows, MacOS X, Linux and Android	Open Source! (free)
GRASS	-	Windows, MacOS X, Linux and Unix	Open Source! (free)

ESRI: ArcGIS

Undoubtedly the most widely used software in the GIS market. For students, ESRI offers a "1-year trial of ArcGIS 10.1 for Desktop Advanced" (which includes all relevant extensions!). Below is a description how you can get it, if you are a student in Switzerland. For students outside Switzerland please contact the ESRI office of your country.

1.) Go to the download site.

2.) Sign-up for a free Esri Global Account. Afterwards you come to the page where you can download the Esri software.

3.) Send an email to info@esri.ch (for German speaking students) or info@nyon.esri.ch (for French speaking students), providing all of the required information: last name, first name, organization (educational institution), department/institute, project title, partner company (optional), other remarks. Your email should look like this (German version).

4.) ESRI will check your application and send an email containing a valid license number.

5.) For authorization and installation process, please follow the instructions as described in the manual.

For non-educational GITTA users we can offer a 60 day trial version. If you would like to receive a trial version please fill out the form of ESRI Switzerland (for people living in Switzerland) or contact the ESRI office of your country.

Intergraph: GeoMedia

Intergraph's GeoMedia is another very popular professional GIS application. They do have a special education program with a free one year licence of the GeoMedia Professional full version available for every student!

MapInfo

MapInfo is also amidst the three most used GIS software solutions. They do offer both educational discounts and a 20 day trial license on their website.

MicroImage: TNT

MicroImage offers various products from the professional TNTmips to the free TNTlite version. They do also offer special academic licenses. TNT is not as popular as the three other commercial products presented above but it runs on nearly every operating system and they have an amazing long list of translations available.

Quantum GIS (Open Source)

Quantum GIS is a quintessential user friendly, cross platform (win/lin/mac) free and open source GIS desktop application.

GRASS (Open Source)

Another popular open source GIS solution available is GRASS, the Geographic Resources Analysis Support System. It offers both a graphic (GUI) and text mode, is very popular amongst universities and it is available in nearly every operating system (Windows, MacOS X, Linux and many Unix flavors). And of course it is free!