Who would have thought Linux would generate such mainstream interest?
PCWeek for March 15, 1999 (p. 37) has an article about Corel developing a
Windows-like graphical interface to Linux, and planning to port the entire
WordPerfect Suite. I'm sure many of us had written Corel off as a
vanquished leader of the desktop word-processing battle. Their interest and
development could help speed Linux to more desktops. It was an encouraging
article.
At our bi-monthly county user group meeting, there was much discussion
about how small local governments can distribute geographic data
efficiently to both interested taxpayers and those in county government who
also use the data (planners primarily). This county (Kitsap County,
Washington, USA) will probably go with ESRI's MapObjects, but it made me
appreciate the looking ahead and development that MapInfo has done with
MapXtreme. Previously I didn't like the idea that Mapinfo Pro development
was being sidelined for a shot in the dark Internet mapping applet - what a
misimpression! MapInfo Pro might be at the peak of what it has been, and be
moving to something much more dynamic. That would explain the development
malaise we've all been feeling from MapInfo. Might the next major release
of MapInfo be Java-based, of components that could be loaded (and upgraded)
as needed, that are platform independent?
It does feel as if we're on a plateau of some kind - but is it a basecamp
leading to a higher peak still unrevealed in the clouds, or just a boggy
flat place to spend the night, filled with irritating mosquitos? For
trekkers it's easier to tolerate the bugs if you now it's just a waypoint
on a rather exciting journey.
Tom
* - * - * - * - *
Tom Curley
Suquamish Tribe GIS Program Manager
[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]
