So I went to check out the website for Qatar's government GIS group, the Center for GIS (http://www.gisqatar.org.qa/), for the first time. Even if you are not in the region, it is amusing for a short list of reasons.

- The landing page is Flash based. Who does Flash welcome pages anymore?
- Oh wait, the whole web page uses annoying sound effects, thanks to egregious reliance on said Flash.
- Did not even bother go beyond the Map & Data Sales link. I guess I can expect a lot from them in terms of open data. I cannot wait to read their policy document (http://www.gisqatar.org.qa/new/maps/images/Policy.pdf).
- My favorite part: the "forums" is nothing more than ESRI's ArcGIS forums. That is it. Clearly, GIS is just a synonym for ArcGIS. There is nothing beyond its infinite scope!

Needless to say, I cannot wait to use this website. I want to find out more about Doha's bizarre zoning system (more on that later), and I cannot imagine the website is going to be helpful . . . at all.