----------------------------Original message---------------------------- It is always so nice to hear from the enlightened. Actually, many of those working in map libraries today are not only aware of the "complex" terms you refer to but also have degrees in geography and or geology. Our levels of service range from the sublime uses of MapExpert to provide simple street maps to serious GIS research involving geocoding, geo querying, and analysis. Our intent is not to compete with traditional mapping services but rather to reach out to students, faculty, and the public who need, use, and require geodata and interpretive skills to understand it. Our success is not measured by our inability to define terms or to perform services but rather by the lines of students who request our experience and expertise to map census information, provide polygon boundary information, and to provide geodata for their respective projects and queries. Geodata is no longer held by an elite few and electronic mapping, from the simple to the complex, is finding its way onto home computers around the world. Those of us working in research map libraries do not have a choice of whether we wish to use this data or work with it; it is an obligation that we have to provide interpretation in addition to simple access. Furthermore, it is absolutely correct that librarians, as information managers, should be aware of copyright and we are! Most, if not all, of the data and boundary files that we use are either in the public domain or have been defined for our use with liberal site licenses. I appreciate and respect the gentlemen's concerns but not the accusations! ****************************************************************************** David A. Cobb Tel (617) 495-2417 Harvard Map Collection FAX (617) 496-0440 Harvard University E-Mail: [log in to unmask] Cambridge, MA 02138 VE * RI * TAS ***************************************************************************** On Mon, 5 Feb 1996, Larry Keenan wrote: > ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- > As a cartographer of 32 years I can assure you that you have undertaken a > task that is daunting. By your own admission, you are untrained. You have > no experience, other than that of utilizing ARC View software. You are even > contemplating going into business, yet have no idea as to how much your > services are worth. Worse yet, you will probably want to give away data, due > to guilt. > > Please, please, please leave the map making industry alone. We have already > spent needless amount of hours and money trying to undue the damage that you > folk have inflicted upon our clients by confusing the issues of GPS, GIS, > AM/FM, Photogrammetry, Business GIS and DeskTop Mapping. Additionally, you > above anyone else, should be aware of copyright issues that you may or maynot > infringe upon. >