Confused ESRI ArcGSI Silverlight API vs bing, google.? Appreciate your input.

[XijiangSun]

Dear friends,

I was out of ESRI GIS for a few years already.    I was very good at ArcSDE and ArcIMS before.

Recently, there is a lot of developement on ArcGIS Server web service, MS Silverlight, bing map and google map.

I would like to stick to ESRI technology, but I want to give me a reason to stick to ESRI.


1.  Could our ESRI people tell me what is the difference of ArcGIS Server Silverlight, Bing Map and Google Map?

2.  Do you know any article comparing these technologies and other concern, like license?

3.  If I want to develop mobile solution(Internet is not guratteeed),  is ArcGIS engine still a good platform?

4. If I want to using Silverlight,   What is the real benefit of using ArcGIS Server Silverlight?

5. If I using ArcGIS Server Silverlight API and Bing Maps,  Do I still need ArcGIS Server license?

Thanks a lot.   your input is greatly appreciated. 


Sun

[MarcN]

Silverlight API is a new API to develop ArcGIS Server Clients. Other API are Adobe Flex API, Javascript API and finally Web ADF. See http://resources.arcgis.com/content/arcgis-server and click on the Web APIs tab.

Bing maps and Google maps are new map data sources which you can use. As far as I know you have to get a license for them. E.g. adding Bing maps to ArcGIS Server manager: http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisserver/10.0/help/arcgis_server_dotnet_help/index.html#//009300000088...

I don't think ArcGIS Engine is a good solution for mobile development. See the Mobile GIS products for details: http://resources.arcgis.com/content/mobile-gis

See http://resources.esri.com/arcgisserver/apis/silverlight/ for Silverlight API.

[XijiangSun]

Thanks Brain0 ,

I was a ESRI people before.   I have a new question now.  For example.

Using ESRI ArcGIS Server Silverlight API with Bing Map.  

Why not just simply using Bing Map Ajax API with Bing Map? 

Why we ESRI people want to use ArcGIS silverlight SDK to work with Bing Map?

Another question is still?  If I use ArcGIS silverlight SDK with Bing Map,
Do I need both license from Bing and ArcGIS Server? or just license from MS Bing Map?  I do not have ArcGIS Server license right now.    

Thanks a lot.    Sun

[HubertLo]

I have done prototyping about a year ago with Bing Map still in its pre release state and I have not worked with it since its release. Therefore my comments below may not apply to the current release version:

- Instead of having an event handler for the entire layer as in ESRI; you have to assign individual event handler to each of the graphics element.
- I don't think Bing support other spatial references.
- MS rushed the product to jump on the "band wagon" of web mapping.
- There is no way (as far as I know) the Bing API can feed off an ESRI ArcGIS Server REST services.
- The quality of Bing Map is not that great to start with.
- ESRI is the name in GIS and mapping, your product will look more professional when the users see the ESRI logo at the map corner.
- ESRI own people (eg. Morten Nielsen) monitors these forums. You get accurate up to date answers on all questions. ESRI people will tell you whether a feature is even possible.
- Bing has a user forum as well but none of MS people are monitoring it. You have fellow users as your support. You cannot trust their answers as much.

[TaylorNicholls]

Although I don't want to necessarily get into the justification of using ESRI products the one logical answer revolves around how to consolidate and access data/information if your core framework is already built using ESRI products. For one off projects that require basic mapping needs I'd say use a lighter API such as Bing or Google, etc. however in the case you need to start leveraging the core GIS backbone of your organization that uses ESRI I feel it is good practice to remain very close to their model and supported technology base.

In any case, my question is more simple. Does the ArcGIS API for WPF (i.e. desktop) actually run without a license? I am on a machine with a developer license on it so I can't really tell but I can't see for the life of me any license initializer or license control. Do 4 downloads actually get an individual in the position to pull down published map services, Bing data, RSS, or what have you?

If that is the case, it goes a long way to show end-users/developers/etc. that ESRI has recognized that there is a vast amount of resources floating around on the Internet (data, options, choices etc.) but to enable people to use a subset of their toolkit in a light-weight fashion becomes powerful and attractive extremely quickly for existing organizations.

For example, you invest in a 25K AG Server deployment to show a municipal property fabric that's all fine and well but to be able to push out to the clerks, planning, building, engineering department offices a free light-weight property "searcher" on their desktop (or website using Silverlight) accessing information from that service the ROI is substantial rather than as in the past relying on an AG Engine license to do one simple thing or tie up a desktop license from a license server while browsing.

If it's free to deploy I will be one extremely happy end-user! Cheers.

[XijiangSun]

Actually I am trying to figure out the advantage of using

                  ESRI ArcGIS Server Silverlight API  WITH  Bing Map.

If we are using ARCGIS Server to provide the data, definitely we need a license for ArcGIS Server.    But if the data is from BING, GOOGLE,   then do I still need some sort of license from ESRI in order to use ESRI silverlight API?    because to me at this moment,  ESRI silverlight API is more like Javascript API, like OpenLayer code. 

For my case,  I am not against of getting a license of ArcGIS server as a local data provider when the local data is becoming more and more huge.     But during the prototyping phase,  I need to have some sort of "Free" access for the DEMO purpose, and need to clearly understand the Future License issue. 

For example,  during prototyping phase, my boss will ask me why you are using ESRI Sliverlight API to work with Bing?  Why not work with bing directly?    we want our customer to purchase all the license, but during developping phase, we just want to use use trial license or borrow license from customer.     


As a previous ArcObject developer,  I am interested in new offering from ESRI, like this ESRI Silverlight API.   Anyone give me clarification?    Thanks


Sun

[HubertLo]

Based on a recent conversation with the ESRI representative in my area and my understanding; if you want to use Bing map for ESRI Silverlight API you need to purchase Bing map thru ESRI. You may not be able to access the Bing map directly from Microsoft.

The licensing model is the same for Bing map regardless of whether you use Bing API or ESRI Silverlight API, it is based on the number of hits. You pay some amount to get some units of hits. The license will cost you few thousands dollars. Nobody that we have spoken to knows exactly how the hits are counted. If you run out of hits, you cannot access Bing map until you buy more.

The ESRI model is per user license. For example they may sell you 3 licenses based on your usage scenario. You have unlimited usage during that year and the usage will be evaluated at the end of the period. They may adjust the number of license up or down.

[DouglasGennetten]

One of the above questions still remains unanswered in my mind:

If I have an application which incorporates the ESRI WPF control, can it be used by my customers who do NOT have any ESRI license?

[HubertLo]

One of the above questions still remains unanswered in my mind:

If I have an application which incorporates the ESRI WPF control, can it be used by my customers who do NOT have any ESRI license?

I am not sure whether any of the forum moderators like Morten can answer this. You better off contacting your ESRI representative to see the detailed licensing documents. I believe you have to pay ESRI few thousands dollars to use the ESRI Silverlight/WPF API for "commercial purposes".