When it was new, GIS appeared on the horizon like a sunrise, illuminating the future with promise and potential. As the technology matures, more people "wake up" to see GIS as a tangle of technology, applications, and problems to solve. This paper recalls the spirit in which GIS first generated excitement and examines how its potential is being realized or squandered. Can GIS motivate organizational change and improve professional practice? Do people still believe that GIS tools make a difference?