ArcGIS Desktop lets you perform the full range of GIS tasks - from geodatabase design and management to data editing; from map query to cartographic production and sophisticated geographic visualization and analysis. It is where the core work of GIS occurs. This book gives you an overview of the ArcGIS Desktop system and shows you how to access the basic functions of the software. This chapter introduces ArcMap, ArcCatalog, and ArcToolbox - the basic framework of ArcGIS Desktop - including the structure of each, the functions each performs, and how they're used together. The book covers the functions most people will use, plus a number of specialized tasks that you may need for specific applications. It illustrates the various tasks you can perform, shows where to access them in the user interface, and shows how to get started with a particular task using basic or default settings.