5 replies to this topic

[cart3700]

Hey, this is a survery of cartographers.

1. In your opinion is there is a different between catographers and graphic designers?

2. In your opinion what is it that makes a map?

3. What software do you find necessary for cartography?

4. In comparison with ArcGIS what can your programs do that it cant?

If you have time to answer any help would be great.

[Hans van der Maarel]

Hey, this is a survery of cartographers.

1. In your opinion is there is a different between catographers and graphic designers?

2. In your opinion what is it that makes a map?

3. What software do you find necessary for cartography?

4. In comparison with ArcGIS what can your programs do that it cant?

If you have time to answer any help would be great.

First of all, I'd like to know what your opinions on these matters are

Second of all, there's been past threads on #1, #2 and #3. But in short:
#1: Yes
#2: That's a very interesting, highly theoretical and conceptual discussion that I'd rather not get into. Dennis Wood and Mark Denil have been on this for quite some time now, through articles and presentations
#3: Illustrator/MAPublisher, FME, Manifold, Global Mapper, Photoshop, VNS... that's about it.
#4: I don't know, ArcGIS is not on my "necessary" list. It's not really a matter of whether or not it is capable of doing things, but more the way in which you can achieve certain things in ArcGIS vs Application X.

[mika]

I agree with Hans. Though I'd add one word to the #1 - 'huge'. At least often enough

[Hans van der Maarel]

It kinda sounds like a school project to be honest

[mika]

Or like an individual looking for some tips on how to become a cartographer... Just kidding...
Perhaps a few lines on the background of the survey, hmm...? That would give an idea of the sort of answer you're after when asking what makes map a map. As Hans said, there is no simple answer to that, but there might be a relatively short one...

[rudy]

In short . . . here are my answers:
1. Yes
2. A graphic/spatial representation of a physical/social/anything that can be mapped feature
3. None are necessary. Pen and paper works fine. Not as flexible as software but it works.
4. The fancy stuff, especially pertaining to layouts and inclusion of images and text . . . but it's getting there.