[SOLVED] Implementing GIS Software

Hi There;
I need a specialized GIS software. In my IT department, arcGIS is commonly used, and it will be important feature processing data files created via arcGIS in which its extention is mxd, as our department heavily relies on arcGIS.However, arise from the business logic, we have to implement special capabilities. How can I implement such program? To sum up;
i. How can I implement a GIS software that support general GIS capabilities as well as the ones that originated from our business logic?

ii. What can I process arcGIS files in which its extention is mxd?


Thank in advance.
varoluscuprens

Start with the beta testing of "FWTools-x86_64-3.1.0"

fwtools contains GDAL as python wrappers

I my self use NASA/USGS ISIS3 and fwtools/gdal along with NASA Ames Stereo Pipeline (ASP)

It has been a bit but i think GRASS supports arcgis through gdal
and is in most distros repos ( i know it is in opensuse and scientificlinux )

I take it there is some reason you are not using IDL