posts/2023-08-07-vector/

[utterances-bot]

Mike Mahoney - A long digression about the word ‘vector’

Sharing an ‘aha’ moment from a few years ago.

https://www.mm218.dev/posts/2023-08-07-vector/

[JosiahParry]

"...a specialization chosen in order to not need to take courses in Calculus 2"

I felt that. Literally did this same thing. Then ended up taking Calc 2 in my last semester of undegrad b/c data science???

Also, I think it's really helpful to think of "Vector" in GIS as "vector graphics." Vector data in GIS is pretty much the same thing as an svg without a CRS. The shapes are defined using those geometric vectors you illustrated.

Thanks for this post! :)

[mikemahoney218]

+1 for "vector graphics" -- I almost tossed that in, but (1) it wasn't true to my timeline (realistically I only started understanding + using vector graphics like a year ago 😆 ) (2) the post was already 1500 words. Recognizing that vectors/rasters in GIS are ~exactly equivalent to vectors/rasters in graphics, plus a CRS, was also a big unlock for me!