Press Release
June 24, 2005
"Mapping Hacks": Zooming in on Digital Cartography
Sebastopol, CA--Humans have been creating maps for centuries to identify
spaces, detail new places, and provide direction. Over time, mapmakers
have become increasingly precise and more sophisticated. Cartography has
evolved from wall paintings on caves and imprints on clay, to online
interactive maps and global positioning systems (GPS.) Today, any PC user
with Internet access and the right tips and tools can find resources online
and create their own customized maps.
In Mapping Hacks, (Erle, Gibson, and Walsh, O'Reilly, US $29.95)--a richly
detailed book with full color maps, charts, and graphics-the authors
provide a comprehensive guide with a collection of 100 tips, tools and
valuable resources for producing customized digital maps. Digital mapping
is illuminating geographic data like never before, and the appearance of
Open Source mapping projects has spurred growth for the development of
interactive mapping-generating new resources and more ways to use
geospatial data.
At O'Reilly Media's Where 2.0 Conference, June 29-30, in San Francisco,
CA, Michael Frumin will present "Visualizing Democracy," a talk on
"Fundrace," an online mapping service that details political affiliations
and support in any given geographical area. Frumin also contributed hacks
from this presentation to Mapping Hacks.
"Historically, the enormous complexities of cartography and geospatial
analysis have been kept as the preserve of a talented and select few,"
comments coauthor Schuyler Erle. "Today, by contrast, thanks to recent
advances in personal computing technology, geospatial analysis has escaped
from the ivory tower, and, slowly but surely, cartography is shifting from
being a traditionally read-only medium to most people, and into becoming a
read/write medium. Our hope is that Mapping Hacks will introduce people
to the wonderful possibilities for exploration and storytelling inherent
in digital cartography and geospatial analysis, and inspire them to seek
new and compelling ways to tell their own stories through their very own
maps."
Mapping Hacks provides the best sources for geographic information, and
guides the reader to integrate data and create their own maps-including
adding personal data like weblogs and photo galleries. More than a
tutorial, Mapping Hacks is also a must have resource guide.
Among the tips and tools included are:
Compare and Consider Alternate Driving Routes: Access and review different routes from online mapping sources and choose the fastest or the most scenic
Zoom in on Your Neighborhood: Zoom in on any location and find out exactly where it lies on the map and learn how to create your own animated zooming application
Retrace Your Journey With a Tracklog: Learn how to download a tracklog from your GPS receiver, create a visual log, and use tracklogs for future travel
Establish an OpenGuide to Your Home Town: Setup a collaborative web site with details on directions, personal annotations on favorite places and eateries
"It's a combination of tips and tricks that allows users to better use
mapping tools that are already out there, to tweak existing offerings to
do more than might be expected, and perhaps most importantly for the arm
chair reader and 'how does it work fan,' to understand how all this stuff
works," states Adena Shutzberg, Executive Editor of "Direction Magazine."
"The book is as much about sharing what others have learned as it is about
enabling new hacks. Just reading the 'how tos' will get the creative
juices flowing."
Additional Resources:
Mapping Hacks
Schuyler Erle, Rich Gibson, and Jo Walsh
ISBN: 0-596-007035, 568 pages, $29.95 US, $41.95 CAN
order@oreilly.com
1-800-998-9938; 1-707-827-7000
About O'Reilly
O'Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O'Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying "faint signals" from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism.
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