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>
>  The reprint business was too much work so I got out of it.  For the
>  last couple years, I've been combining my software skills with my map
>  collection and produced various computer-generated 'birds-eye-views'
>  and 'fly-throughs'*   of various landscapes.  I feel today's average
>  desktop computers can provide new methods for exploring and visualizing
>  maps.
>
>  Is anyone on this list using desktop PCs as an aid in map visualization?
>
I've been marketing a program called Landscape Explorer as shareware for the
past year or so, which generates 3D surfaces from scanned topo maps (or from
digital map data).  My 'pro'version of this have allowed users to drape an
image over the surface, which gives some nice results - one of my favourites
was derived from the Royal Geographical Society 'Hollings' map of Everest.
 The latest version of the program going to be published on cdrom as 'Visual
Explorer' by Visual Media Systems (this is the company that publishes
Vistapro in Europe).  It's currently being translated (English, French,
German, Italian & Spanish), but should be out within the month.  Price will
be not more than #80.
 
If anyone would like to see an image there's one on my home page -
http:/139.153.183.144/home.htm  (this may move in the
 
This version always views the landscape from 'outside' - so you get a
'block' of terrain something like those illustrations you see in newspapers.
 However I have an 'add-on' in beta,  which does allow you to sit inside a
landscape and generate fly throughs.  This is very interesting with maps or
satellite images draped onto the surface - I've been playing flying around
*inside* a topo map of Ben Lomond (Scotland) and a Spot Satellite image of
Snowdon and the Llanberis pass (Wales).
 
I should have this available as shareware within 2-3 months.  If anyone's
interested in this, or Visual Explorer, please mail me at
[log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask]
 
Kevin