I want to buy ArcGIS 10.2 products... I really do. But I just can't bring myself to march to the bosses office and explain why we need this release because the fact is we don't. ESRI has managed to take a product with hardly any changes of significance and roll into a new version instead of an update. Instead of focusing on the multitude of problems that have plagued 10.1 throughout its lifecycle, they've decided to not fix the product and build on it even more.
They haven't addressed (among other things):
The 1000's of bugs and errors that crop up all the time. I have keep error journals so I know what to do next time something happens because the ESRI help is usually pretty vague or doesn't work. ESRI support? I am my own "ESRI Support".
Outdated and clunky interface.
Mediocre KML/KMZ support compared to other geospatial software.
Better CAD support within ArcMap (it's poor to average at best still)
Better production quality maps (i.e. not having to resort to Illustrator for most of the work).
Poor GPS support. Although GPX is a standard, what about the other multitudes of formats that are used?
Its clear that although ArcGIS bills itself as a one-stop solution for GIS needs, it isn't. The bottom line is that most people still need another "go-to" program that will do the things that ArcGIS fails to do. Want better KML/KMZ support... gotta use GlobalMapper (or something equivalent). Geoprocessing task failing all the time.... gotta use QGIS (or something equivalent). Want a nicer looking map because ESRI's production quality sucks... gotta use Illustrator. GPS files not being handled properly... gotta go convert it in another software and then bring into Arc... wait a minute... might as well use GlobalMapper again.
ESRI is supposedly the Mercedes-Benz of GIS software... so why is it driving like a mini-van? More and more I find myself thinking "I might as well use (x) program because ArcGIS will just be a hassle...".
I've been an ESRI user since ArcGIS 3.2 and I still remember those days fondly. The days when you had to save your work every minute because a dreaded Dr. Watson error might crop up... Not much has changed except that there are now more errors. Its almost like the presence of ESRI online-help is an excuse to have all these errors in their software. Someone needs to tell ESRI that sometimes less is more.
That's my rant for the day. Thank you to anyone who chose to read it and I'm sorry if it was long-winded. Just don't get me started on ArcGIS Server or ArcPad software... holy crap... I need a panic room!