First - regarding architecture. MapInfo desperately needs (needed) to get a handle on its code base and the diversity of directions products were going. Without the common code base direction there was impending disaster. The direction of a this common software architecture is in large part a function of the direction of Microsoft, upon whom MapInfo (as well as many others) have become dependent.
All I will say here is that if you look at the history of computing, for which I have been involved for about 30 years, you will see there are certain trends that occur. IBM and its peers like Sperry, Univac, Unisys, Digital have had to face the inevitability of product life cycle /leadership in a more macro environment, so too will Microsoft. This is not say there is a doomsday for Microsoft, Hardly. There are several signs (actions taken by Microsoft) that parallel IBM in an almost frightening similar fashion. What Microsoft was to IBM, Linux is now to Microsoft. While it is still about 4 years away by my reckoning, Microsoft market leadership will dramatically decay due to pressure from Linux and the Open Source community. The fall out I worry about the ability for a company like MapInfo to move swiftly enough to adapt to the changing environment. It has taken several years to create a common code base, and I am suspect as to how "common" it really is throughout the product line. What will it take, and will they be able to compete with the new genre of Open Source software providers as Linux continues to gain Server market share, and penetrate the desktop. Will their "common code base" have them tied too tightly to Microsoft such that they will not be able to compete in the new marketplace that is evolving? As for product capabilities, publishing in this case. This is a marketing / licensing issue more than any other. What is important in this case is that ALL products have a common "rendering" and data structure. A symbol, line, fill, character style and positioning is the same throughout the product line. All products support the same level of rendering. For example if I position text in MI Pro that positioning is consistent throughout the product line. If I create curved text, it should occur as curved text in all products. The problem we struggle with are the inconsistencies manifest by such things as: MID/MIF, TAB, WorkSpace, Map Definition, and Geoset. What's next? There may be a "librarian" and other tools to manage published products (maps), Again within a common framework for all products. The ability to "publish" a map may be performed by a piece of software, the RIGHT to do so lies in the license. -----Original Message----- From: Peter Horsbøll Møller [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, May 26, 2003 04:11 AM To: 'Neil Havermale'; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: MI-L Publishing Maps - MapInfo Pro 8.0? Hi Neil, The Next generation of MapInfo Pro is not build on the MapX engine, but is a whole new object model, where some of the code from MapX has been used. The mayor advantage MapInfo is aiming at here is to have only a single code bas to maintain. This might also mean that new functionality will be availeble in both products, unless it's a functionality for pro only. In this case I guess they will just leave out of the MapX build. MapX is only the mapper window and there is lot's of other features that has to be covered in the new object model, so therefor I think it would be wrong to say that MapInfo Pro is based on MapX. But what is more important MapInfo Pro is a single user licens and can therefor not be used as a backend for a web service, that's what the MapInfo license agreement says. And that - I guess - is also why Discovery - that is a server licens - is more expensice than an ordinary MapX licens, that also is a single user licens. Peter Horsbøll Møller GIS Developer Geographical Information & IT COWI A/S Rugårdsvej 55 DK-5000 Odense Denmark Tel +45 6313 5013 Direct +45 6313 5008 Mob +45 2270 4308 Fax +45 6313 5090 E-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.cowi.dk > -----Original Message----- > From: Neil Havermale [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Monday, May 26, 2003 2:25 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: RE: MI-L Publishing Maps - MapInfo Pro 8.0? > > > This is a very interesting thread. I too looked at Discovery > only to find that what I thought might be a simple and > affordable system to publish MapInfo work product was a bit > more daunting and expensive than I expected. I must also say > that when compared to other solutions I knocked doors on, it > may in fact have a "relative abundance" of both ease of user > and low cost. > > I do have a question that may help me better understand > future potential in this area for the KISS MapInfo > Professional user. According to several responses, Discovery > is a MapX based product. If the advanced information on the > next generation of MapInfo Professional 8.x is a total > new-design and technology shift building on the MapX engine > that is tuned .NET opportunity, what might that offer for > this same publishing issue? > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > List hosting provided by Directions Magazine | > www.directionsmag.com | To unsubscribe, e-mail: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > For additional commands, e-mail: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Message number: 6979 > --------------------------------------------------------------------- List hosting provided by Directions Magazine | www.directionsmag.com | To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Message number: 6981 --------------------------------------------------------------------- List hosting provided by Directions Magazine | www.directionsmag.com | To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Message number: 6999
