this edition of the big book of gis is an abridgement and update of the two-volume, second edition of geographical information systems, first published in 1999. it includes 24 of the most important, enduring and seminal chapters from the full edition, and a new introductory chapter by the editors that provides a comprehensive update on how the field of gis and geospatial information has developed since the last edition was published. an accompanying cd-rom provides the full searchable text of the two-volume second edition in pdf format, encompassing well over 1,000 pages of primary writing on the history and development of gis as a science. this affordable abridged edition provides a convenient reader for students taking any of a wide range of gis courses. in particular, it acts as a key reference source for students exploring the topic beyond what can be found in the textbook written by the same team, geographic information systems and science, second edition (2005).