Map Drawing Software For Writing Up My Collection

Tim

I use a Wacom Bamboo. Wacom is the market leader in drawing pads so it would seem a safe choice. The Bamboo line has by now been replaced by the Intuos line of pads. Intuos - just as the Bamboo - comes in an Art and a Pro version. Drawing maps the way I do does not require the extra features of the Pro version. The Art version does the job perfectly. The tablets also come in different sizes. I choose the medium version to have better control over my drawing.




Chris

I could not agree more. It's not always the best product that provides the optimal solution.

Gerben

Thanks Gerben, I'll get shopping in a few weeks when I return back from Mongolia.

Don,

I think I need to apologize to you. I have been posting on several - very related - threads yesterday, and I got a bit confused. I think using some of the programs you mentioned for actually drawing maps is probably a good idea. I don't actually draw my own maps, but I just find ones I like that are freely available on the web and copy them onto my pages. For doing this and adding text/rearranging boxes, etc., PowerPoint works just fine, and something like Photoshop or AutoCAD would be overkill in my opinion.

But, I do see where you are coming from in terms of actually drawing the maps themselves.

Chris

Chris,
No problems, my software collection is larger than my stamp collection. I have the advantage of playing with literally millions of dollars worth of software including being a Microsoft Tech Net member for over a decade. (I think I have enough CD and DVDs to give every person in the USA a free coaster.) I actually have a large software database that I use to keep track of it all.

I am nerdy, I see every problem as a nail and software as the hammer. But in a pinch I often use what I have installed at the moment. Heck, I have been known to use Excel as a word processing app.

I find that many folks often only consider the original purchase price of an app instead calculating the time they might save using a better app. And since our default behavior is to do the same as we did the day before, we often resist change and/or anything that means we might be facing a learning curve. (Heck, many users hate newer version of their existing software never mind switching stuff around.)

To avoid 'shelfware', most companies offer trial apps for exploring. With as easy as it now is to setup a VM, downloading and installing new stuff is quite safe to our existing setups. Recommending Power Point as a work-around solution works for me, but I wanted to point out there are other solutions for those who might want to explore them.
Don

Don

Nice to hear of your expertise - maybe you ought to start a thread - Nerdy tech questions for Don. I know I would use it.

I will take a look at your suggestion, and assuming it does the entire job better and faster, I might consider the switch. However the thought of converting my many hundreds of pages over might be too daunting of a task.

Michael

I go to websites that feature maps such as http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/
Then simply cut and paste.

Tim, have a good trip to Mongolia!