Questions
- A Question on Low-Cost Map Restoration
- Jonathan Longobardi writes: I recently came upon an 1776 map of New York Island that came from an atlas that accompanied the first edition of John Marshall’s The Life of George Washington published in 1807. It is truly a beautiful…
- What Do You Call Proposed Streets on Maps?
- Whelden Merritt has a question: I am searching for a term or a name for fraudulent entries on maps and I don’t mean map traps as attempts to protect copyright. What I mean is proposed streets and subdivisions that seem…
- A Cartographic Scriber Writes
- Ralph Jackson writes, “I was a cartographic scriber in the United States Air Force a few decades back. I was quite fast and accurate with this skill. Is scribing still used anywhere in map production today or has it gone…
- The Holy Grail of Geotagging
- David Thulin is searching for a geotagging camera: I have been looking far and wide for the tools needed for immediate and automatic geotagging of images taken. My quest took me through Yahoo! Answers, numerous searches through forums and gadget-sites…
- More About My Maps, KML and Mashups
- Darren McEntee writes, about my post about using Google My Maps KML in mashups, Can you please add a small piece of info in regards how to add a KML file to Google My Maps? I have tracked some past…
- Why Do People Follow Bad Directions?
- Nicholas Forbes writes with an interesting question about why people follow bad directions — covered here ad nauseaum — that is above my pay grade: I am a Ph.D. student at the University of Nottingham UK. I have been running…
- Question: GPS Software for India?
- Earle writes, “I live in San Francisco and am planning a trip to NW India. At home I use a Garmin GPS sensor attached to a PC laptop with Windows XP operating system. Do you know of map software for…
- Question: Editing Scanned Maps with Software?
- Recently I’ve received a couple of very similar questions: both are from people asking how to edit and manipulate scans of paper maps. Chris Ellison writes, I am a history teacher who regularly uses maps for teaching purposes. The thing…
- Question: Software for a Personal Map Collection?
- M. Krause writes, “I’m starting a small antique map collection and would like to keep track of it on my computer (Macintosh). Is there map collection software available that will keep track of my inventory? I have searched the web…
- Question: Nonexistent Towns
- Kirk Woerner asks a question that might have an obvious answer, but it’s an interesting one: On some maps (both online and offline) there are “towns” that do not exist. What are these and why are they on maps? Are…
- Question: Fictional Maps with worldKit?
- Tony Straka is looking for a way of creating maps of imaginary places with open-source web mapping tools. He writes, “One thing I have searched for is fictional maps created with one of these programs and I cannot seem to…
- Question: Info on Copper Engraved Plates?
- Charles Ryan writes, “I am looking for information on copper engraved plates used — many, many years ago — for producing maps and charts, particularly for Naval Hydrographic Office charts. Can you recommend a source for doing some research or…
- Question: Cataloguing a Map Collection?
- My turn to ask a question. As I mentioned in my review of Kashuba’s Walking with Your Ancestors, I volunteer for a local archive that has a small collection of maps that I should, at some point, catalogue. I’d like…
- Question: Small-town Directions?
- Jeff’s getting married, and he needs to provide directions to the wedding’s small-town location. We’re getting ready to order and send out invitations for our wedding, which will be in a small town in Wisconsin. None of the mapping sites…
- Question: Software for Cartograms?
- S. P. Low from the University of Singapore, looking for software to make cartograms, writes: We are working on a project that attempts to track the global construction market using cartograms, such as those rectangular cartograms used by the World…
- Question: Online Maps on Morning News?
- Tim Tierney writes, “I heard that there was a feature about online mapping services that aired on 4-7-06 [i.e., Friday] on one of the morning TV news shows (possibly ‘Good Morning America’ or the ‘Today Show’) but I can’t find…
- Question: Topo Maps in Google Earth?
- Evan Roberts asks, Why do you think Google hasn’t integrated USGS topographic quads as a layer in Google Earth? Not enough of a demand? Not relevant to its business model? Don’t want to step on the toes of GPS partners?…
- Question: Ordnance Survey Maps on the Mac?
- Richard Crawford writes, “Is there any software that will enable my Mac to open and read the Ordnance Survey Software and maps that I have on my PC? Or another program for Mac that will open .qct, .qem or .mmi…
- Question: 3-D Wall Map for a School?
- Ted Czarnecki writes, “I am a teacher and our school is trying to improve students’ knowledge and familiarity with geography. Does anyone know of a large 3-D (hands on) map that we could purchase and install on a hallway wall?…
- Question: Maps and Copyright?
- Recently I’ve received several questions relating copyright and reproducing other maps, so I thought I’d deal with them all at once. The first question deals with reproducing maps that may or may not be in the public domain; the second…
- Question: Google Maps and Old Versions of Safari
- Google Maps may no longer work in older versions of Safari, Apple’s web browser. Joel Riggs wrote yesterday: “For the past 24 hours it appears that maps.google.com (aka Google Local) is not loading in Safari browsers … is this an…
- Question: Software for Publishing a Map?
- If J. Little were just putting something on the web, I’d advise him/her to use Google Maps, but s/he’s looking for something s/he can publish: “If I wanted to make a map of the area surrounding Lake Michigan and add…
- Question: SVG Maps of Countries?
- Mike S. writes, “I have looked many places to find semi-detailed SVG maps of cities or countries. Does anyone know where they are sold or available? I am looking for Japan in particular, but others would be great to browse.”…
- Question: Smaller World Aeronautical Charts for a Wall?
- Readers have written in asking about wall-sized maps before, but Joe Thompson is looking for something a lot more specific. Actually, in his case, the charts he wants are too big; he’s looking for a way to make them smaller:…
- Question: Cartography as Career?
- One question I’ve received more than once (and that I know nothing about) is about maps as a career. According to last spring’s survey, most of us are amateurs rather than professionals: 68.3 per cent of you identified yourselves as…
- Question: Best GIS PHP Module?
- Marco Fioretti is looking for GIS PHP modules. He writes, “I have an urgent project to work on which includes processing GIS data with PHP, and I’d really like to start with something which is already tested.” My original post…
- Question: GPS and the Mac?
- I’ve talked about using a GPS with a Mac before, and even — back when this blog’s audience was a fraction of what it is now — solicited my readers’ opinions on which GPS I, as a Mac user (or…
- Question: Matthaeus Seutter’s Pays de Perou et Chili
- Pablo Halkyard writes: I am trying to find out about a German cartographer, Matthaeus Seutter (1678-1757) who drew and published a map called “Le Pays de Perou et Chili” (The Countries of Peru and Chile). I am trying to find…
- Follow-ups: Wall Maps and Atlases
- We’ve dealt with the questions of where to buy a very big wall-sized world map and which world atlas is best, but these subjects came up on Ask MetaFilter recently, and you might find some of the answers useful: the…
- Question: What-If Political Boundaries?
- John Frum is on a mission to collect maps showing political boundaries that never existed — “what I for want of a better word call ‘what if’-maps,” he writes. For example, the map of Europe drawn up by the Germans…
- Question: Large Wall Map of the U.S. with County Outlines?
- Shonin writes: I was wondering if anyone would know where to get a fairly large wall map of the U.S. that only showed county outlines? I used to have one a long time ago, but I have not been able…
- Question: Getting Involved in Collaborative Mapping?
- Robin Hall writes, “Saw the piece on the back of Online in The Guardian today and am interested in starting a project here in Letchworth.” (See previous entry.) “Given that I have access to a group of people interested in…
- Question: Pictures of Jan Jansson and Herman Moll?
- Debbie MacPherson writes, “I’m wondering if you know where I can find a picture of the mapmakers Jan Jansson and Herman Moll for an exhibit I am working on called Places & Spaces. I appreciate any help you could provide.”…
- Question: Wall Map of Lost or Mythical Places?
- Jimmy Bloom writes, “I have several encyclopedias and dictionaries of imaginary, lost and misplaced islands, continents etc., but am wondering if someone has produced a wall map of such things suitable for framing and mounting.”…
- Question: About Old Paris Metro Maps
- David Kim asks, “I was wondering how valuable old Paris subway maps are, in general (if such a question can even be answered)? I am talking about the 1937 map of the Metro you had on your site a while…
- Question: Wall-sized London Tube Map?
- Don Sattler writes, “I’m in London on vacation and would love to purchase a large map of the tube system to hang on my office wall. I can’t seem to find one. Do you know of any shops that might…
- Question: Appraising a Map’s Value?
- From time to time I get a question from someone who wants to know how much a map they have is worth. I’ve been reluctant to post these questions individually because it could be construed as free advertising; also, the…
- Question: Map Preservation?
- Lorraine Brace writes, “We have a very old and important cloth map of the Village of Norwood that is very fragile and we need advice as to how to preserve it from any further deterioration.” She’s writing from Norwood, Ontario,…
- Question: Tools for the Beginning Cartographer?
- Skip Armstrong works for an adventure travel company in Costa Rica, and would like to make a map. But he’s not sure where to start: I would like to create a map of the rivers of Costa Rica and would…
- Question: Maps of Landforms to 100,000 Years Ago?
- Dave Van Epps writes, “I am trying to locate maps that together will give me information at approximately 10,000-year intervals, back to 100,000 years ago, of coastlines, glaciers, continents, major rivers and seas.” Presumably he’s looking for the changes wrought…
- Question: How Do I Map My Property?
- Jason Endres is trying to survey his property. I recently purchased 50 acres of rolling forest land and I am trying to find the best means to create a fairly precise topographic map of the area. In addition to the…
- Question: How to Create a Better Trail Map?
- Brod Berser writes: I have the [National Geographic] Topo! California regional software and a Garmin III+ GPS. I would like to make a trail map for Torrey Pines State Reserve here in San Diego. There is a hand-drawn map but…
- Question: Best World Atlas?
- Marc asks, “Which is the best overall general-purpose atlas I can buy? My criteria would include depth, detail and quality of design.” There are, of course, several options, including the Great, Hammond, National Geographic (Amazon, National Geographic Store), Oxford University…
- Question: Mapping Software That Tracks and Links to Where I’ve Been?
- Bruce Frank asks a question that rings a bell with me, but I can’t put my finger on it: I’m looking for mapping software that I can edit and add my own tracks (places I’ve been) when I’ve made deployments…
- Question: World Hydrological Map?
- James Geluso writes, “I’m looking for a really good world hydrological map. I’m especially interested in one that shows not just watercourses, but makes it easy to see the basins. I have the National Geographic Sept. 2002 map, ‘A Thirsty…
- Question: Long Island Aerial Map?
- (Questions are coming in fast and furious here at The Map Room; I’m afraid I’ll have to be selective. This little experiment is working far better than I had expected.) Rocco Cammarota writes, “Can I get a map (aerial view)…
- Question: European Map with English City Names?
- Brian Hennessey writes, “I’m planning a trip to Europe this summer and can’t seem to find a map that I can fold and unfold to look at for planning purposes and has all the names of the cities in English….
- Question: A Copy of the Erroneous PureCanada Map?
- About a year and a half ago, there was a big stink in Canada over the first issue of the Canadian Tourism Commission’s magazine, PureCanada, which had an unacceptable number of errors and omissions (see this post from July 2003,…
- Question: Best Wall-sized World Map?
- For our very first question, Sven Cahling from Sweden wonders whether anyone can recommend “a really good and beautiful world wall map.” I presume that means he’s looking for something that’s not only informative, but aesthetically pleasing as well. I…
