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AGO or AGOL?

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12-29-2021 08:46 AM
MachielVan
Occasional Contributor

I often see ArcGIS Online abbreviated in one of two manners: either "AGO" or "AGOL".

Is there any "official" way to write it in short hand? "AGO" makes much more sense to me since "Online" is a single word, but I guess using "G" for "GIS" throws this logic out the window. 

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7 Replies
Katie_Clark
MVP Regular Contributor

"Potato, Potahto", as far as I know. I've always used AGOL, but it probably just depends on what one was introduced to when they first started learning web GIS. 

Best,
Katie


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- Simon Sinek
ABishop
MVP Regular Contributor

I always say AGOL.  "AGO" seems too close the word "ago" to me.

Amanda Bishop, GISP
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I_AM_ERROR
Regular Contributor

I've never even considered that the "L" isn't technically needed! I wonder how that started.

Now I'll think about everytime I write out AGOL even though I'll never be able to stop. 

Thanks a lot! 🙂

MachielVan
Occasional Contributor

Kudos for the Zelda II reference

BRENNEJM
Regular Contributor

In college I knew it as AGOL and when I started my job I switched over to AGO. Using the google search "agol" site:esri.com -site:community.esri.com it looks like the only reference to "AGOL" is in partner documentation and user comments. If we switch up the google search to "ago" site:esri.com -site:community.esri.com we find Esri's ArcGIS Online Assistant whose URL is https://ago-assistant.esri.com/. This does appear to be the only place that Esri actually used an abbreviation for it though.

Going back to google, if we search "agol" site:esri.com we get 20,400 results and "ago" site:esri.com gets 24,500. So while pretty evenly split, it looks AGO might be slightly preferred.

AndreaB_
Frequent Contributor

thank you for asking this! I was just wondering this myself. As a lifelong 'AGOL' user, my new coworkers use 'AGO', it's a rough transition for me. 😁

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ToddMurphy
Emerging Contributor

I will continue to say AGOL, it's clear to anyone in the know what you're referring to, even if they use AGO (and roll their eyes at you when you add the L).