Since the dawn of creation, man has designed maps to help identify the
space that we occupy. From Lewis and Clark's pencil-sketched maps of
mountain trails to Jacques Cousteau's sophisticated charts of the ocean
floor, creating maps of the utmost precision has been a constant
pursuit. So why should things change now?Well, they shouldn't. The
reality is that map creation, or "cartography," has only improved in its
ease-of-use over time. In fact, with the recent explosion of inexpensive
computing and the growing availability of public mapping data, mapmaking
today extends all the way to the ordinary PC user.Mapping Hacks, the
latest page-turner from O'Reilly Press, tackles this notion head on.
It's a collection of one hundred simple--and mostly free--techniques
available to developers and power users who want draw digital maps or
otherwise visualize geographic data. Authors Schuyler Erle, Rich Gibson,
and Jo Walsh do more than just illuminate the basic concepts of location
and cartography, they walk you through the process one step at a
time.Mapping Hacks shows you where to find the best sources of
geographic data, and then how to integrate that data into your own map.
But that's just an appetizer. This comprehensive resource also shows you
how to interpret and manipulate unwieldy cartography data, as well as
how to incorporate personal photo galleries into your maps. It even
provides practical uses for GPS (Global Positioning System)
devices--those touch-of-a-button street maps integrated into cars and
mobile phones. Just imagine: If Captain Kidd had this technology, we'd
all know where to find his buried treasure!With all of these
industrial-strength tips and tools, Mapping Hacks effectively takes
the sting out of the digital mapmaking and navigational process. Now you
can create your own maps for business, pleasure, or
entertainment--without ever having to sharpen a single pencil.
