Computer-Based GIS vs Manual-Based

As Aronoff said in his book, the GIS could be done either computer-based or manually. Of course each of the two has its own characteristic that suit it best.
I believe that the computer-based GIS, nowadays is the most advanced and used widely (of course with the pros and cons). While i also believe that the manual-based GIS (or manual system) is not dead. Meaning that there are people or institutions still using the manual method to overrun their GIS.
(Wait a minute, do you think a GIS could be done by person or people ? I mean, are there people or person who run GISes by himself or herself ?) For me, why not ? If a system (GIS) could be done manually, i could not find reasons why a GIS could not be done by people or person himself or herself.
Back to computer-based GIS and the manual one. Do you think, there is (are) GIS(es) done manually right now?
I believe there are some GIS done manually these days. Eventhough, the computer system so advanced, and almost hard to find any business not done by using computer, but still there are people or organizations doing GIS manually.
Please, don't forget that:
1. GIS range from swallow field to the most broadest field of work. What i mean is, look at the definition in Aronoff's book (1989:39). The most important things about GIS (and why a system is called GIS) are: the store, maintain, analyze, output (display) georeferenced data to become information. Tell me now, which part of these four element could not be done manually. All parts of GIS of course (still) could be done manually. What about analysis ? you think, it's hard to believe that analyzes could be done manually instead of using computer. Well, of course there is a simple answer to these. With the manual system, of course any data would be stored or kept manually also. The data (charts, table, graphic, map, symbols, etc) are stored manually on a paper basis. We all know that there is a transparent paper used widely in technical works. People will do the analysis using these transparent papers. They do overlays using theses transparent medium, they do the work count by using manual medium or using the calculator (instead of computer). What i'm trying to say is that there are ways and medium where manual system could be done on its best way.
2. the advanced system requires the advanced resources (although the advanced resources are also needed on manual system, especially the advance man power). The advanced system here, of course is the computer-based GIS. (Later, i will try to post some requirements needed to operate computer-based GIS). We can imagine, how many resources needed to conduct a computer-based GIS. The simplest one is, of course, the computer itself. How the computer works ? Well, the computer needs softwares (many softwares, including operating system, office suite, analysis software, outputting software, an so on). Could the computer (hardware) stand by itself ? Unfortunately, the answer is no. The computer can't stand by itself to perform computer-based GIS. The computer needs partner-hardwares, such as: printers, plotters, scanners, digitizers, and so on. So, we can imagine how much cost (initial cost) for hardware to buy those appliances.
3. Any GIS built seriously for years. Some of the GIS exists years ago. I believe, some (or may be most) of the most modern GIS built as manual system GIS. If so, it always pain to switch to other system (although the switch is to the more advance system like the computer-based system). Switching means go from the very comfort manners of doing things to the new system (either full / whole system or just part of it). Me and my organization (wait, i'm not the owner nor the leader, i'm just a staff), is doing this kind of switching, from manual system to computer-based system. I won't tell you about hardware nor software we use, but i can tell you that this switch needs more and more resources (energy, money, skill, etc), and courageous. It's a common that some people or organization feeling no comfort on this switching, and remain stay on current system, alhough most of them are on research for doing the switch.

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Introduction to GIS (summarized from Aronoff, 1989)

As start, here i put some introduction from "the Father of GIS" -Mr. Stan Aronoff, in his book: Geographic Information systems: A Management Perspective (WDL Publication:1989). Of course it's not the only book to say about GIS, there are so many others. May be some of you have known very well with this book since it is used in so many universities as a must-read GIS book.

Why should i use Aronoff's book here ? you ask.
Well, i should tell you that the book is very good for beginner. As it stated at the front of the book. Mr. Jack Dangermond (President of Environmental Systems Research Institute -ESRI) said at the Foreword that: "this book is aimed at both users and managers of GIS technology, and assumes that the reader has no previous background in the field. The book is designed to provide a novice user or manager with a logically complete introduction to what she or he needs to know in order to deal efficiently with GIS technology."
That’s why I put this book for beginning of this blog, because it’s good for beginner, and it’s good as beginning too.

Let's start. Here we go. At the very beginning of his book, Aronoff said that: "Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are computer-based systems that are used to store and manipulate geographic information."

It is so straight forward and to the point, right ?
Why should they're computer-based, why not manual system ?
Why just geographic information, while there are so many data and information exist ?
What's so important about this geographic information ? you ask.

Well, further more, it stated that: “a GIS is designed for the collection, storage, and analysis of objects and phenomena where geographic location is an important characteristic or crucial to the analysis. While handling and analyzing data that are referenced to a geographic location are key capabilities of a GIS, the power of the system is most apparent when the quantity of data involved is too large to be handled manually. There may be hundreds or thousands of features to be considered, or there may be hundreds of factors associated with each feature or location.
These data may exist as maps, tables of data, or even as lists of names and addresses. Such large volumes of data are not efficiently handled using manual methods. However, when those data have been input to a GIS, they can be easily manipulated and analyzed in ways that would be too costly, too time-consuming, or practically impossible to do using manual methods.”

So, it is apparent now, that a GIS is not always (not must) a computer-based system, it also could be done manually. As it is stated more clearly by Aronoff (p:39) that: "..in its broadest sense, a geographic information system is any manual or computer-based set of procedures used to store and manipulate geographically referenced data."

Please note that the most functions early stated here are: store, manipulate, and analyze geographically referenced data (no output ?). What the word ‘information’ in GIS for, if there is no output to display or no media to spread the result of the analyzed-data to become information ?

Finally, the definition used in Aronoff's book stated in page 39, where: “A GIS is a computer-based system that provides the following four sets of capabilities to handle georeferenced data: 1. input; 2. data management (data storage and retrieval); 3. manipulation and analysis; and 4. output. The restriction to computer-based system reflects the focus of this book. There are many manual system that are used routinely to perform these functions and are effective for the tasks they perform and under the conditions in which they operate.”

I think that’s all for the introduction. Some questions revealed. Of course, once more, there are many introduction to GIS by other experts. What’s yours ? (please summit your comment).

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GIS and people

People nowadays saying about GIS for Geogrephic Information System. GIS term spreads worlwide. More and more people getting familiar with GIS term. Even in Indonesia, my country, my oldest son -10 years old in class 4 of the elementary school- has a lesson at school about this GIS. Well, it seems that my child will get more familiar and expert than i, since he gets his first lesson on GIS in his elementary school, while i got mine at university. :)
But, even so, i believe that may be there are people who still get confuse on what GIS is. Well, from this moment, i'd like to share with you about this GIS. Any of you. Experts are most welcome, while for GIS learners -just like me- we can share many things here.

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