RE: MI Best GIS for dollar
First the disclaimer - I work for a MapInfo VAR and we have an ATC (Authorized Training Center). With that said, whether ERSI, MapInfo, Maptitude, Mamifold, etc if you intend to be a power-user, or need a team of strong users, it is essential to budget in training as well. I've taken and taught training on both sides (MI & ESRI). GIS, however convincing the marketing blush, is a complex and difficult field for new users. Just understanding the concepts (and limitations) of geographic analysis takes time to digest. Its only user friendly if the user has a clue. Where time is money and a limited resource, good training class can save you hours of wasted project time with an ever-approaching and unforgiving deadline. Even if you later switch products, a firm grasp of GIS concepts makes learning competitor software much easier. Will any of us be using the same software in five years? Doubtful. Eventually the GIS user is powerful, and the software just a tool. When budgeting for software, budget for GIS training as well. It will pay for itself tenfold regardless of the final product choice. -Original Message-From: John Haynes [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]Sent: Friday, May 12, 2000 7:27 AMTo: Dick Hoskins; Berk Charlton; [Sinam] Subject: Re: MI Best GIS for dollar Dick, Perfectly put. Very few of us use anywhere near the potential of any software; we learn what is necessary to do our tasks and complete our mission. It is great to be innovative but a couple of old expressions sum up the risk..."The first guy on the beach gets the bullet" and "The leading edge of the sword has the most nicks." I like to remember the lesson of Levi Strauss. As thousands gallumphed into the western horizon to grab the first chunk of gold, Levi loaded his goods in a slow wagon team and followed to sell them the standard commodities they would still need. -Original Message-From: Dick Hoskins <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>To: Berk Charlton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>Date: Friday, May 12, 2000 12:10 AMSubject: Re: MI Best GIS for dollar My cost of maintaining various editions of MI, with V Mapper and data versus Maptitude and Surfer 6 and 7 and both product's programming languages is 8 to 1. MI is around because my users had MI - although no longer - ESRI made them a deal they couldn't refuse. So maybe I won't upgrade. However if you have a job to do, saving money on software and upgrades can certainly be a false economy. It of course depends on the job. However, not every GIS user is a developer, or ever cares to make a GIS app beyond using the programming language to automate their own task to support. There are a lot of people who need almost industrial strength GIS tools to work on particular problems and get things done. Maptitude and Manifold could fill this void. What I hear from Manifold and Maptitude sure indicates that they are not exactly stuck ... new things are going to appear which I don't think ESRI or MI are capable of doing now because they are "stuck" in a GIS paradigm that won't be here in 5 years. Of courser, it depends on what you need to do, and I would submit that a whole lot of people are spending $1400 when they could be spending $400. Seems that MI is not exactly preparing for when folks figure that out. Dick Hoskins[EMAIL PROTECTED]GIS uses in public health summer course:http://healthlinks.washington.edu/inpho/gis/course.html - Original Message - From: "Berk Charlton" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2000 3:06 PM Subject: RE: MI Best GIS for dollar > For what it's worth -> > Overall, I have to agree that Maptitude is the best generic GIS value. Great> data set, good functionality, fabulous import/export capability, built in> routing, etc.> > But there are still plenty of reasons to go with other more expensive packages.> > A major factor in deciding which GIS use for many of us is the 3rd party tools> available. Mapinfo and Arcview both have hundreds of free public domain> utilities and programs available, and dozens more for sale. Practically any> vertical market need a user has, from site selection to watershed analysis, has> been covered by the third party developer and VAR channel.> > Maptitude is really deficient here, even though the package has a good> programming language. Maptitude's sale price is so low that Caliper can't> afford to have a decent reseller program (nor have they ever tried hard to> cultivate one), which forces them to try to do everything in-house. Hence, they> have a good generic package, but very little vertical market tools or> penetration.
RE: MI Workspace Editing : DANGER DANGER
For the future, I would suggest our Workspace Manager. Downloadable from our
website for a free time renewable version.
It can create a .worp file. This in essence is a compressed workspace, that
when reopened, can reassign the data files to new directories. You could
also archive old workspaces (perhaps those older than 1 year) as a .worp
file, then uncompress then in whatever location required. It does require
space, as each file making up the workspace is copied and compressed. You
can also use Workspace Manager to send whole workspaces to clients, either
via e-mail like a .zip or transferring the whole workspace to another
storage medium. We often burn to CD or zip drive for easy transfer. It can
also parcel the worp file
into e-mail bundles for size limit e-mail system.
www.empoergeo.com
http://www.empowergeo.com/authorized/workspace.htm
Here the basics from the readme.txt.
Features
Workspace Manager is designed to facilitate easy management and distribution
of a standard MapInfo Professional(r) Workspace file (.WOR extension).
Version 1.0 of Workspace Manager has been tested with MapInfo Professional
v4.5 and v5.0. (and 5.5 - Sinam)
a) Resolves missing/relocated .TAB files.
You can let Workspace Manager search drives for you automatically, or you
can specify a particular file replacement.
b) Workspace Packages (.WORP) can be built to send a Workspace to another
user via disk, email or other electronic transport mechanism.
The Workspace Package can include any or all of the tables that are used in
the Workspace (within the Limitations listed in IIa). The Packaged files
are compressed to reduce disk space and transmission time requirements.
c) The recipient of a Workspace Package would use Workspace Manager to save
the enclosed Workspace and Tables to disk, and will assist in the location
of any tables not included in the distribution.
d) Workspace Manager will default to extract only newer Tables from the
Package thus preserving your local copies as appropriate. The user can
easily override this default on a Table by Table basis.
e) There is no physical restriction on the number of Tables that can be
included in a Package or on their sizes (within available disk space
requirements for building or extracting them).
-Original Message-
From: Mats Elfström [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2000 4:32 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: Mapinfo List
Subject: Re: MI Workspace Editing : DANGER DANGER
Hi All!
Will Woodruff wrote as a tip for saving wrecked workspaces:
> What do I suggest you ask? Replace the problem table with a known table
> that will open in both the Open Table section and the Map From section.
> Open your workspace. Close the replacement table. Save the workspace.
Well, at first this seems as a splendid idea.
However, the replacing table cannot be any dummy table.
Consider the line
Layer 5
Display Graphic
Zoom (0, 1500) Units "mi"
Label Line Arrow Position Above Font ("Arial",0,9,0) Pen (1,2,0)
With Highway
Now, if Layer 5 does not contain the column name Highway - the workspace
will fail at this point.
In fact, it is almost impossible to recognize all references to a
missing table in the workspace file.
But if the case is a mislaid table, you can give MapInfo a hand in
searching:
Under Options > Preferences > Directories you can add up to 4 search
paths.
If you add the 4 most likely drives or trees, MapInfo will traverse each
one in turn until a Table with the wanted name is found. Be prepared
that this can take a while.
Beware that MapInfo opens the first Table found a name that satisfies
the search condition. So if multiple tables exist with the same name (no
good practice but common nevertheless) another table than the original
may well be opened with possibly fatal results.
The obvious choice in the workspace opener should of course be an option
to skip and turn off all following references to a missing Table.
Regards, Mats.E
--
:::
:Email/ [EMAIL PROTECTED] ICQ#9517386 :
:-:
:Mail/ GISKRAFT, Mats Elfstroem, Vaepplingv 21, SE-227 38 LUND, SWEDEN:
:Phones: +46 46 145959, +46 70 595 3935 :
:::
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MI Empower Geographics Workspace Manager Updated
Our site www.empowergeo.com has been updated, and timed expirations revamped for the New Millennium. Apologies for any inconvenience. Please download Workspace Manager from http://www.empowergeo.com/authorized/workspace.htm . Any problems, just e'm and I'll get on it. Empower Geographics Sinam Al-Khafaji - GIS 1000 Executive Way Des Plaines, IL 60018-1502 847.299.6952 x315 -- To unsubscribe from this list, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and put "unsubscribe MAPINFO-L" in the message body, or contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: MI Super Workspace - Try Workspace Manager
I work for Empower Geographics, a MapInfo VAR outside Chicago. We put together a small program called Workspace Manager. You can download it free off our website; empowergeo.com. It has some nuances, but we are always open to suggestions, revisions, upgrades, etc. Here the basics from the readme.txt. Good luck & Happy Holidays. Features Workspace Manager is designed to facilitate easy management and distribution of a standard MapInfo Professional(r) Workspace file (.WOR extension). Version 1.0 of Workspace Manager has been tested with MapInfo Professional v4.5 and v5.0. (and 5.5 - Sinam) a) Resolves missing/relocated .TAB files. You can let Workspace Manager search drives for you automatically, or you can specify a particular file replacement. b) Workspace Packages (.WORP) can be built to send a Workspace to another user via disk, email or other electronic transport mechanism. The Workspace Package can include any or all of the tables that are used in the Workspace (within the Limitations listed in IIa). The Packaged files are compressed to reduce disk space and transmission time requirements. c) The recipient of a Workspace Package would use Workspace Manager to save the enclosed Workspace and Tables to disk, and will assist in the location of any tables not included in the distribution. d) Workspace Manager will default to extract only newer Tables from the Package thus preserving your local copies as appropriate. The user can easily override this default on a Table by Table basis. e) There is no physical restriction on the number of Tables that can be included in a Package or on their sizes (within available disk space requirements for building or extracting them). -Original Message- From: Alistair Hart [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Thursday, December 23, 1999 12:24 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: MI Super Workspace Merry Christmas etc... Has anyone had much experience with Super Workspace? Can anyone recommend a similar (or otherwise) software package for the moving of workspaces? I am looking at buying one and am looking for suggestions. I know the golden rule is to make 'em where you want 'em but in this case I can't! Thanks In Advance, Alistair Hart Dengue Action Response Team Queensland Health [EMAIL PROTECTED] Random quote of the moment "I don't believe in mandates" John Howard c.1987 -- To unsubscribe from this list, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and put "unsubscribe MAPINFO-L" in the message body, or contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- To unsubscribe from this list, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and put "unsubscribe MAPINFO-L" in the message body, or contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: MI SUM Joining tables...
Hate to agree with the 'Dark Side'... but I must concur - its much easier to join in ArcView. Although the other SQL and table management features in MI Pro make up for this four-fold. -Original Message- From: Humphrey, Ben [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Friday, October 01, 1999 11:37 AM To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]'; MapInfo mailing list Subject: RE: MI SUM Joining tables... Okay try this: 1. Open the two tables you wish to join in side by side windows in arcview 2. Select the two common fields in each table with the mouse. 3. Make sure the table you want the results to be stored in is highlighted 4. Join the tables I agree with peter 110%, Joining in Arcview is a *pinch* > -Original Message- > From: Mats Elfström [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Thursday, September 30, 1999 10:44 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; MapInfo mailing list > Subject: Re: MI SUM Joining tables... > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > The combined suggestion was to use SQL Select dialogue. Place my two > > tables that I want to join in the FROM section. In my Where category > > set the two "key fields equal. > > The result will be a query table. Should you want to keep this, Save > > Copy As. > > > > I think we would all agree that the ArcView join is much simpler. > > No, we won't. > At least not until you explain to the list the steps needed to obtain > the *same* result in ArcView. > > Mats.E > -- > ::: > :Email/ [EMAIL PROTECTED] ICQ#9517386 : > :-: > :Mail/ GISKRAFT, Mats Elfstroem, Vaepplingv 21, SE-227 38 LUND, SWEDEN: > :Phones: +46 46 145959, +46 70 595 3935 : > ::: > -- > To unsubscribe from this list, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and put > "unsubscribe MAPINFO-L" in the message body, or contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- To unsubscribe from this list, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and put "unsubscribe MAPINFO-L" in the message body, or contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- To unsubscribe from this list, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and put "unsubscribe MAPINFO-L" in the message body, or contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MI Basic US River & Lake layer
Hello MI listers - I'm a new MapInfo user, originally trained on the 'Dark Side' products of ESRI's Arc View. I am looking for a basic water layer for the US; to include the 10 major US rivers (Mississippi, Missouri, Colorado, etc), large major lakes (all the Great Lakes, Salt Lake, Lake Tahoe, etc.) I have found very detailed state and county level data on StreetPro, Marker Plus, etc. - but nothing easy to view and query on the national level. Lake surface area and total river length-all bordering states are important. Since these are such obvious geographic features, I'm sure its out there. But at the moment, I'm still on my first cup of coffee - and am still somewhat of a newbie with MapInfo data. I am familiar with USGS streams and other hydro data., but again this seems a bit cumbersome for a general US view. Thanks in advance. Sinam -- To unsubscribe from this list, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and put "unsubscribe MAPINFO-L" in the message body, or contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
