So the classic thinking is Esri can’t figure out what to name anything. You either put the Prefix “Arc” in front of something, use the company name Esri (though you’d be better at using ESRI for the classic touch) or put the phrase ArcGIS in front of any simple word. Those days of wacky are over apparently as there is now a guide to the new naming convention for Esri products.
| Name Prior to ArcGIS 10.1 | New Name |
|---|---|
| ArcGIS Desktop | ArcGIS for Desktop |
| ArcInfo | ArcGIS for Desktop Advanced |
| ArcEditor | ArcGIS for Desktop Standard |
| ArcView | ArcGIS for Desktop Basic |
| ArcGIS Server | ArcGIS for Server |
| ArcGIS Mobile | ArcGIS for Windows Mobile |
| ArcGIS Mobile SDK | ArcGIS SDK for Windows Mobile |
| Esri Data and Maps | Data and Maps for ArcGIS |
| Esri StreetMap Premium | StreetMap Premium for ArcGIS |
| ArcGIS Data Appliance | Data Appliance for ArcGIS |
| ArcGIS Mapping for SharePoint | ArcGIS for SharePoint |
Thus the key word is now ArcGIS and it may or may not be “for” something else. Because as Esri points out, “The reason for these modifications is to reinforce the fact that, regardless of where and how ArcGIS is used, it is the same system.” Natch! My favorite which isn’t listed here is the new ArcGIS for the Internet which was previously known as ArcGIS.com.