Question 6: What are the advantages of GIS?
In theory, all GIS processes
can be undertaken manually. Before GIS, analysis procedures would have
been manually undertaken using transparent
overlays or
run through very slow and cumbersome machines with far less power than the
machines of today. The essential advantage of modern GIS, however, is that
all the functionality for working with multiple sets of geographic information
are grouped and automated within one piece of software. In addition it benefits
from modern computer efficiency and speed.
Overall, the use of modern GIS offers many advantages over paper maps:
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Can cope with larger amounts of data
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Can cover large study areas (the whole world if necessary)
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Can conveniently select any sub-study area
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Can cope with unlimited and frequent edits and changes
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More robust and resistant to damage
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Faster and more efficient
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Requires less person time and money