Maptitude - http://research.umbc.edu/~roswell/maptitude.html

I have tried to directly encourage Caliper to consider this....they have
indicated that they are evaluating programs but they seem more interested in
creating, enhancing or preserving file exchange compatibility with an external
statistics software package.  My own introduction to computer mapping in
graduate school (back in the pre-historic era of Hollerith punch cards .... no
dimpled or pregnant chad problems in those days!) was the old SYMAP system from
Harvard and a library of spatial analysis programs written mostly in FORTRAN by
quantitative geographers who saw an explanatory benefit in the ability to map
statistical data.

In my view, a line can be drawn between the users who want to draw a map of a
phenomenon and those who want to try to explain the why, the how and the where
of the phenomenon's existence.  For Caliper, the consumer's choice should not
just be a choice between TransCad, GIS+ or Maptitude, but rather (as I see it)
the introduction of a "Professional" upgrade version for GIS+ and Maptitude
which adds the functionality of a spatial statistics package as internal
features of the "Professional" package.

For the added functionality which such a package would bring to a GIS user,
Maptitude's price could be doubled and still be a bargain.  Moreover, the
package would have a competitive advantage in the academic marketplace for
graduate classes in quantitative marketing, geography, sociology
(demographics), operations research and logistics, etc.  It would create a
natural learning curve from undergraduate to graduate users and, I should
think, help Caliper substantially in competing with the more expensive and
harder-to-use ESRI product line.  Furthermore, academic researchers,
professional marketing researchers, and governmental users would have a better
toolkit to "explain" the world focused in their research cross-hairs.

So that's my 2 cents worth!

Kevin Byrnes
Richmond, VA

Health Maps wrote:

> Maptitude - http://research.umbc.edu/~roswell/maptitude.html
>
> I would be interested in knowing to what degree Maptitude users want a real
> connection to a statistical package. ArcView has one to S-Plus and it is
> quite effective although as usual, I wouldn't have designed it that way.
> Splus has a spatial statistics package which is not bad.
>
> But ESRI is not really all that interested. Seems Caliper could really make
> a contribution here.
>
> Suppose one could run regression models and make quality graphs with data
> one has in selection sets?
>
> Richard E. Hoskins
> WA State Department of Health
> 1102 Quince Street
> Olympia, WA 98504-7812
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> tel:  (360) 236 - 4270
> fax: (360) 236 - 4245
> GMT -8
>
> Note: All messages to and from the Department of Health may be disclosed to
> the public.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Marjorie Roswell [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Wednesday, December 06, 2000 6:05 AM
> To: Maptitude
> Subject: Re: [Maptitude] Elections 2000 Web Site
>
> Maptitude - http://research.umbc.edu/~roswell/maptitude.html
>
> I could also call this email "pride."
>
> As the listserv "owner" (founder) let me say, I think we are an awesome
> bunch of people. Giovanni, as the developer of Maptitude for the Web has
> built a great product that makes it easy for us to do interactive
> web-based mapping.
>
> Michael Meuser's environmental mapping is very cool, and more importantly:
> meaningful.
>
> Richard Hoskins is doing innovative work that's a model for public health
> agencies around the country.
>
> To redirect this conversation a little bit, I'd like to ask people the
> same question that I did when I first developed this listserv: what cool
> stuff are you doing with Maptitude and Maptitude for the Web?
>
> The Election 2000 site definitely qualifies. What's your project?
>
> _________________________________________________________
>             Marjorie Roswell, Spatial Analyst
> UMBC Center for Health Program Development and Management
> 1000 Hilltop Circle                     Fx: (410)455-6850
> Baltimore, MD 21250                   E: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Ph: (410)455-6802    http://umbc.edu/~roswell/mipage.html
> _________________________________________________________
>
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