cheap GPS / buy a Microsoft product!

[Zbigniew Koziol]

On Saturday 01 September 2007 11:51, D. Hugh Redelmeier wrote:
> I noticed that the Factory Direct flyer in today's Star offers the
> Microsoft Streets and Trips 2006 with GPS Locator for $39.99
>
> This seems like a good price.  The locator will work under Linux.  It is a
> little box + cable that plugs into a USB port.  The software is of course
> useless under Linux.

I wonder how all this works. Is the database with maps stored on the box or do 
the maps needed have to be downloaded through the internet?

Detailed maps for North America take around 20 GB disk space.

> Linux mapping software could be improved.  So buy one of these and pitch
> in :-)

Depends, what you have in mind. It is not so much that there is no Linux 
software for mapping. They simply did a version for Windows and they 
obviously did not want to make a Linux version. There is quite some software 
for mapping working on Linux. Also, there is open source mapping server 
around (I did not really try myself). MapInfo has some Java based software 
which works on Linux too. I am developing a very complex web application 
based on their product, MapXtreme Java. Since it is a web application, it 
will work on at least Firefox on any platform. hopefully also on other 
browsers.

zb.

> As usual, phone Factory Direct before making a trip: they often don't
> stock what they advertise.
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