bobowicz@hal.CSS.GOV (Tom Bobowicz) (03/12/90)
I'm looking for a good high resolution map database of the world. I will be generating projections on a 19 inch display that could cover an area less than 100 km across. The majority of the displays will use previously generated and saved raster images, so the time it takes to generate the original map display is not an issue. Following is a list of data sources that I am aware of and am investigating. Are there other data sources that I should check into? Please E-Mail me any info you have. If there is a significant amount of additional information I will summarize and repost. 1.) The Austin Code Works 11100 Leafwood Lane Austin, TX 78750-3409 100,000 lat/lon points of geographical and political boundaries for about $30. 2.) Defense Mapping Agency Bld. 56 U.S. Naval Observatory Washington, D.C. 20305 All kinds of stuff, some of it classified. Long lead time to get data, 2 - 3 months. 3.) National Cartographic Information Center U.S. Geological Survey 507 National Center Reston, VA 22092 Mostly U.S. / North America stuff. 4.) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Rockville, Md. Land and Sea maps. 5.) National Technicl Information Service U.S. Dept. of Commerce 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, Va 22161 WDB II (World Database/Data Bank) II containing about 6 million points describing costlines, political boundaries, rivers, lakes, etc. Available on magnetic tape for $660. Thanks in advance. Tom Bobowicz bobowicz@hal.CSS.GOV -- + Tom Bobowicz + INTERNET: bobowicz@hal.CSS.GOV + + ENSCO Inc. + VOICE: 407-254-4122 + + 445 Pindea Ct. + FAX: 407-254-3293 + + Melbourne, FL 32940 + +
art@felix.UUCP (Art Dederick) (03/16/90)
In article <415@hal.CSS.GOV> bobowicz@hal.CSS.GOV (Tom Bobowicz) writes: > >5.) National Technicl Information Service > > WDB II (World Database/Data Bank) II containing about 6 million > points describing costlines, political boundaries, rivers, lakes, > etc. Available on magnetic tape for $660. Since there has been many requests for map databases and this particular database seems to be the most comprehensive, but expensive, how about we all get together and pool our $'s to get a copy and put it on a FTP & UUCP site or other easy distribution method? I'm assuming once we have a copy we can re-distribute it. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. If 10 people get together, the cost is $66 each. For 50 people, the cost is $13.20 each etc. So how about it people, want to make a map database CO-OP? For the time being, I would be glad to act as floppy (IBM 1.2M 5.25" and Mac 3.5") and 9 track tape (1600/6250 BPI) distributer. Distribution cost would be a function of me supplying the media/postage vs. the requester supplying media/postage. Assuming I can get enough space on our uucp machine, I might be able to setup an anonymous uucp connection (sorry no ftp). If someone has already set this up for anonymous uucp, never mind. BTW - let me know where it is so I can get a copy. Art Dederick (714)966-3618 {oliveb,hplabs,spsd}!felix!art
pete@Octopus.COM (Pete Holzmann) (03/19/90)
In article <141623@felix.UUCP> art@felix.UUCP (Art Dederick) writes: >In article <415@hal.CSS.GOV> bobowicz@hal.CSS.GOV (Tom Bobowicz) writes: >> >>5.) National Technicl Information Service >> >> WDB II (World Database/Data Bank) II containing about 6 million >> points describing costlines, political boundaries, rivers, lakes, >> etc. Available on magnetic tape for $660. > >Since there has been many requests for map databases and this >particular database seems to be the most comprehensive, but expensive, >how about we all get together and pool our $'s to get a copy and put >it on a FTP & UUCP site or other easy distribution method? I'm assuming >once we have a copy we can re-distribute it. Someone please correct me >if I'm wrong. From my past experience as organizer of the group that made the Hershey Fonts available to the Net... NTIS does not want us redistributing 'their data'. I put this in quotes because they have a peculiar definition of this: all they care about is data formatted the way they have it. If the data is reformatted, then nobody will mistake it as a copy of NTIS data. NTIS will therefor not feel obliged to handle support requests in any way; this is really what they want to avoid. For the Hershey fonts, we took the coordinates from them (stored as ASCII numbers e.g. "0064,0012") and turned them into biased ASCII characters (i.e. new char = 'R' + n, I think). This cut the database size down by a factor of 5 or so, even before compressing and uuencoding. So, if somebody already has WDBII, and has reformatted the data in some way (hopefully useful!), there is no problem with passing it out to the Net. I suppose somebody should check to see whether WDBII is restricted in some way from international distribution. I doubt it, as literally anybody can purchase NTIS information. Pete -- 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