🚀 go-pugleaf

vy10+@andrew.cmu.edu (Vannevar Y. Yu) writes:
>We are planning to implement a GIS application based on TIGER/line data
>(and possibly dBASE file?) on a pc-386 platform for non-profit public
>sector use, and would like any information, product or experience,
>positive or negative, on available options and mapping packages.
>
>As of now, we are considering either the Compaq 386/25 or the
>IBM PS/2 Model 80 as base hardware; we're looking into MapInfo and
>GisPlus software packages.  Being a non-profit endeavor, cost is one of the
>key contraints, and any comments you may have will help us avoid
>unanticipated problems.

I have a few comments:

(1) I'd strongly suggest you watch Strategic Mapping for an announcement
soon. If you can wait a few months to purchase the GIS software, I think
you'll find their new product to be much better than the rest (am I biased?
Well, I *have* been working on it for a year now! :-)). They are extremely
cooperative about good deals for educational/non-profit use as well.

(2) TIGER files are big. No, they're ENORMOUS! Perhaps even more important
than a few extra MHz in your CPU is: (a) A good, fast, hard disk system. At
least 1:1 RLL; fast ESDI or SCSI preferred. (A nice new choice: Micropolis
1684-7 300MB 1/2ht 14ms SCSI at $1650 + Adaptec 1542A SCSI controller at
$275 gets you 1.5MB/sec real throughput!)... (b) Get plenty of RAM; use
it for EMS and a nice disk cache.

(3) GisPlus looks to be a pretty good product. MapInfo is a LOT of talk and
very little on the delivery end. Yes, they do a few things nicely, but in
the long run, most people are disappointed, to put it mildly! [One example-
they recently announced complete networking support. To them, this means
that multiple users can *read* a GIS file simultaneously.]

Pete

(For mapping-related questions, you can reach me as slp!pete@octopus.com,
    for now)

Peter Holzmann, Octopus Enterprises   |(if you're a techie Christian & are
19611 La Mar Ct., Cupertino, CA 95014 |interested in helping w/ the Great
UUCP: {hpda,pyramid}!octopus!pete     |Commission, email dsa-contact@octopus)
DSA office ans mach=408/996-7746;Work (SMI) voice=408/985-7400,FAX=408/985-0859
-- 
Peter Holzmann, Octopus Enterprises   |(if you're a techie Christian & are
19611 La Mar Ct., Cupertino, CA 95014 |interested in helping w/ the Great
UUCP: {hpda,pyramid}!octopus!pete     |Commission, email dsa-contact@octopus)
DSA office ans mach=408/996-7746;Work (SLP) voice=408/985-7400,FAX=408/985-0859