Each chapter concludes with two full-length lab exercises, one using widely available freeware (downloadable from the Web), the other using ArcGIS (the industry standard).
Instructors can choose their path through the book. If they are looking to introduce a variety of geospatial technologies, they can use the freeware labs. If they teach a combination of majors and nonmajors and want students to start gaining familiarity with ArcGIS, they can use the ArcGIS labs. (Many of the freeware labs make use of ArcExplorer, a greatly simplified, and free, version of ArcGIS.)
The book will be available not only as a traditional printed text (in full color) but also as a fully functional ebook.