Proprietary formats and compatibility

Most of the questions I receive about map making have to do with proprietary software. That is, while some software seems “universal,” the truth is that files produced in one version are not compatible in a competing version. The success, therefore, is learning to minimize proprietary formats.
The obvious…
The simplest solution is to limit products [...]

ToughBook computers and GPS receivers

I am not a big fan of the integrated GPS that one can purchase as an option on the ToughBook for about $300. In my experience, the GPS does not perform as well as cheaper add-on units. But, I will lay out my thoughts and you can make the call.
Benefits
The obvious benefit is [...]

Figuring out the GPS COM port on a ToughBook PC

I receive quite a few phone calls each year from ToughBook owners trying to figure out how to use the GPS receiver. A ToughBook with integrated GPS from the factory comes with a default COM port dedicated to the GPS, but which one? You need to know this COM port for using software, [...]

I finally entered the Blog world….

…and I don’t have a clue what I am doing! If you feel similarly, you are in the right spot. I started this blot on the advice of my friends who thought there was a place for me in the murky ethers of the Internet. In short, I am a professor of [...]