[mapserver-users] Re: ArcIMS and MapXtreme comparison

[Flavio Hendry]

Hi Ying

We developed our product Neapoljs for MapXtreme, ArcIMS and MapServer - I'll add MapServer to the answer as it is worth thinking about it ... see www.mapserver.ch for examples with all three platforms - i.e. under "References" :

MapXtreme (NT): 
+ very fast even with very large datasets
+ "adult" version, most bugs gone ... means it's very stable
+ compatible with MapInfo, easy to create Geosets from Workspaces
+ cartographic capabilities "OK"
+ quite flexible, lots of functions
+ scalability
- quite difficult to create sites without deep knowledge (version 3.0 should be better ?)
- missing SQL query capabilities
- timeout issues with HahtSite
- poor documentation
- "Xtremely" expensive

ArcIMS:
+ easy to create "standard sites" from scratch (similar to frontpage)
+ less expensive then MapXtreme
+ SQL-queries and analysis capabilites
+ good documentation
- "young version", still quite "buggy"
- slow with large datasets (execpt you use SDE = expensive)
- data security as you can grab the data when using the servlet connector (however great in an Intranet)
- currently very poor cartographic capabilities
- nasty to create AXL files ("geosets"), very poor editor -> ASCII editing needed
- not compatible with ArcGIS 8.x (can't convert projects to AXL, no support for cartographc capabilities of ArcGIS - should come along in a couple of month according to ESRI)

Comment: I think ArcIMS will get there where it should be in around 6 month - I think once it's performing and supporting the capabilities of ArcGIS it's a good option if you are in an ESRI environment.

MapServer:
+ free of charge (Open Source)
+ best cartographic capabilities of the three
+ good performance (I think MapXtreme is still better)
+ supports ESRI Shape (better then ESRI ...) and MapInfo TAB and others
+ best support and update policy
+ excellent mail group
+ running as well on LINUX
- "Geosets" have to be created in ASCII (however there are tools out there)
- quite complex to develop applications
- poor documentation

best regards
Flavio


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