How to Succeed as a GIS Rebel

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281 pages
ISBN (Print) 978-1-7387675-3-3
ISBN (PDF) 978-1-7387675-4-0
Published 2023-08-15 

Get up to speed quickly on the core topics and career paths that open source GIS has to offer.

What is Open Source GIS?

Are you new to open source software and how it can be applied to GIS? Avoid the guesswork and learn from the decades of experience that Mark brings to the table in How to Succeed as a GIS Rebel. This new book is definitely a departure from the typical Locate Press technical focus but is still very much geared toward the technical concepts of geospatial topics. Instead, Mark leads you through the common concepts of GIS, how he discovered open source GIS, and how he took the initiative to apply it to his career and professional development.

The Technology & the Skills

So many books only talk about the technology of GIS, this one looks at the more personal side of the equation. How do you build knowledge without experience? By learning from the mistakes of others and adopting new tools and techniques.

Mark's been through a lot and is ready to help show any willing Padawan the way. This includes learning the terminology, processes, and workflows for success. And not only for getting stuff done, but looking ahead to building a set of tools and skills that can be your lifelong toolkit.

He explains it clearly and succinctly in an informal, conversational style that is approachable and down to earth.

Join the Rebellion

At nearly 300 pages, it is not for the faint of heart - this book shines a light into the dark corners of the industry, GIS education, and the importance of software licensing to either encouraging your growth or stifling your abilities. Will you take control of your career or let others define it for you? As you'll see, the chapter outline below covers it all, in a timeline matching the typical GIS analyst moving through two and a half decades of development.

Introductory Concepts

• What is GIS?
  • What can GIS do?
  • Why use GIS?
  • Most important components in GIS
  • GIS titles and roles
  • Careers using GIS, and more.
  What is open source & proprietary software?
  • Free and open source software (FOSS)
  • Commercial & proprietary software
  • Why commercial software loses against FOSS, and more.

Common Career Development in GIS

The remaining chapters cover more than you might expect from an autobiographical approach to learning:

• GIS 101: Stuff Learned in University
• Where's OSS?
• Foundational GIS Concepts
• Entry Level Work & Broken Software
  • Where to Begin?
  • The Entry Level Work-Experience Paradox
  • Small Layover in GPS Technician Work
  • Public Works - No Thank You
  • 1990s GIS History
• Environmental Consulting
• The Big Switcheroo
• How Open Source GIS Saved Me
  • The Joy of GIS Returns
  • Hydrological Modeling in GRASS GIS
  • Web Mapping Goes Mainstream
  • Intro to LiDAR
  • Getting Involved
• Unstoppable Success with Open Source GIS
• The Fun Side of GIS
  • Modeling Minecraft Worlds from LiDAR
  • Integrating Bathymetry with LiDAR Topography
• Enterprise GIS Database Library
• Geoblockchain - A Theoretical Use Case for Blockchain and GIS Data
• The Big GIS Secret
  • Putting It All Together
  • Top Five GIS Mistakes
  • The Secret to GIS Success
  • GIS in Organizations: Technology & Users
  • Enterprise GIS
• Can't Beat Passion With Payments
  • Why Limit Yourself?
  • Keep Your Chin Up
  • The Future of GIS

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