Just checking to see if anyone there is familiar with a resource such as www.oem-pal.com I’m not endorsing this is in any way as it appears to be another one of those illegal software warehouses. Look at the selection of software there, including AutoCAD etc… I received an email from these people and would like to make sure that there’s no pirated GIS apps being distributed so just in case, you might wish to take a look and see if there’s any software from companies where you have friends etc… if so maybe let them know about it. Happy New Year all…
Archives for December 2006
more illegal software etc… make sure you don’t support these nobs!
Just checking to see if anyone there is familiar with a resource such as www.oem-pal.com I’m not endorsing this is in any way as it appears to be another one of those illegal software warehouses. Look at the selection of software there, including AutoCAD etc… I received an email from these people and would like to make sure that there’s no pirated GIS apps being distributed so just in case, you might wish to take a look and see if there’s any software from companies where you have friends etc… if so maybe let them know about it. Happy New Year all…
A reminder on creating tiles for Google Maps
I just had a need to do this and luckily found this awesome lesson that described exactly how to create map tiles for Google Maps. It was published a few weeks back but in case you missed it give it a try and bookmark this tutorial while you’re at it – thanks to Brian Flood for this one. More on ARc2Earth can be found at http://www.arc2earth.com/
Troubleshooting Comcast Wireless Internet – a helpful solution for Win XP notebook users
Recall a couple of days ago I pointed out that I had been troubleshooting some wireless connectivity and security with my new Comcast Internet.. well, here’s some more useful information I’d like to share with anyone who’s having issues with Comcast Internet or who may have trouble down the road. One of the issues I had was a Notebook connection (via wireless) that kept dropping off every 2 or 3 minutes (quite frustrating). Turns out its an issue with Comcast requirements and a Windows XP setting. Here’s the solution: (Source: Comcast FAQ)
In Windows XP Service Pack 1, Microsoft changed the authentication process for networks that use 802.1x authentication. If the 802.1x authentication does not complete properly, the connection is dropped. To resolve this issue, configure your wireless network connection so that it does not use 802.1x authentication. To do this:
Step 1: Click Start, select Connect To, click Show all connections then double-click your wireless network adapter
Step 2: On the General tab, click Properties
Step 3: Click the Wireless Networks tab
Step 4: Under Preferred Networks, click your home network then click Properties
Step 5: Click Data encryption (WEP enabled)
Step 6: Click the Association tab then click to clear the Network Authentication (Shared mode) check box and the The key is provided for me automatically check box if they are selected
Step 7: Click the Authentication tab then click to clear the Enable IEEE 802.1x authentication for this network check box if it is selected
Step 8: Click OK then click OK again to accept the changes
Step 1: Click Start, select Connect To, click Show all connections then double-click your wireless network adapter
Step 2: On the General tab, click Properties
Step 3: Click the Wireless Networks tab
Step 4: Under Preferred Networks, click your home network then click Properties
Step 5: Click Data encryption (WEP enabled)
Step 6: Click the Association tab then click to clear the Network Authentication (Shared mode) check box and the The key is provided for me automatically check box if they are selected
Step 7: Click the Authentication tab then click to clear the Enable IEEE 802.1x authentication for this network check box if it is selected
Step 8: Click OK then click OK again to accept the changes
More on UNI GIS Program postponed at Malaspina University
Earlier I mentioned in a post about UNI GIS no longer being served via Malaspina University in B.C, Canada…I’d like to share with you an update I received from Prof. Dr. Josef Strobl, GIS Centre for GeoInformatics * Salzburg University – a UNI GIS partner. Dr. Srobl explained that Malaspina last year had launched multiple GIS programs simultaneously. Due to lagging registration. He notes that the distance learning offering (UNIGIS) was postponed and is currently being reconsidered under a modified framework. There might be some news regarding an international, joint-study program sometime soon. Regarding the initial transfer of the program from Simon Fraser (SFU) to MAL U, this took place as a result of the retirement of Tom Poiker from the SFU GIS program. A former student of his, Doug Corin, took over the reigns from the UNI GIS partnership by incorporating it into his offerings from the Malaspina GIS department. There is no hard feelings or no story behind the scenes according to Dr. Strobl (good to know) – Thanks again to Dr. Strobl for keeping us informed of this.
UNIGIS no longer at Malaspina University
UNIGIS no longer at MAL U… I just noticed the following message posted on the Malaspina University GIS website thanks to a tip from a reader – The UNIGIS program is not being offered at this time. Malaspina is reviewing the program delivery mode and will be updating this information in the coming months. I’m not sure if this will be a permanent position or not, however, my gut feeling is that there may be some tension there. I recall last year when the program switched from Simon Fraser University (I believe) over to Malaspina. MAL U obviously wanted to promote the new program, however, UNIGIS (or was it SFU) was not very cooperative in notifying people that the program has switched (rather odd). A search on UNIGIS will lead you to the following website at SFU – http://www.sfu.ca/unigis/ – but the page does not tell you anything about the program changing and that its now being offered by Malaspina. Even stranger is the fact that the UNIGIS website actually still refers people to SFU on the how to join page and doesn’t mention Malaspina unless you jump to http://www.unigis.org/index.html For more on this See Malaspina’s GIS page at http://www.mala.ca/gis/index.asp
The Nokia N95 Commercial
Smartphone fans may be familiar with the Nokia N95 smartphone… this is the cool device featured in Mission Impossible 3 (MI3) and in the tony Hawk Project 8 video game. Now you can see more about this great phone (yes its a phone too) in this video clip. Pretty cool to see how the integrated GPS, supporting Navigation apps and mapping are promoted quite visibly as a selling point. The N95 runs Symbian OS S60 3rd edition.
Useful GIS tools – another "top" list
Like many others, I also love to publish those infamous Top 5 or Top 10 lists frequently seen this time of year. Most recently I just summarized a list of the top downloads for the year from our GIS tools section over at GISuser.com. I have to admit I hadn’t looked through the list in detail for a few weeks and I was a bit surprised to see that there are now more than 800 apps, docs, tools etc.. to select from. Most are freeware, shareware, open source, etc… although there are some commercial trailiware apps in there as well. Top downloaded apps this year come from Smartwebonline, Blue Marble Geographics, ESRI, Franson Technology AB, and Refractions Research – see the list of Top Apps HERE and you can download them all from the repository
Updated 3D textured cities from Microsoft’s Virtual Earth
Just spotted at Virtual Earth, some newly updated 3D textured cities. These include Minneapolis, MN, St. Paul, MN, Tacoma, WA, Irving, TX, Sacramento, CA. and parts of L.A. These textured cities are quite clever and will give you the feeling that you’re actually looking at some high-res, low altitude aerial imagery. Apparently the technology and expertise for these textures comes out of Microsoft’s Boulder, CO (think Vexcel). This is way cool! Source of inspiration for this update is http://virtualearth.spaces.live.com/ – please note, these data were updated on Dec. 19 so I don’t really need to hear any smack from you eagle-eyes who want to keep ripping on me for posting “old” stuff ;0)
Updated 3D textured cities from Microsoft’s Virtual Earth
Just spotted at Virtual Earth, some newly updated 3D textured cities. These include Minneapolis, MN, St. Paul, MN, Tacoma, WA, Irving, TX, Sacramento, CA. and parts of L.A. These textured cities are quite clever and will give you the feeling that you’re actually looking at some high-res, low altitude aerial imagery. Apparently the technology and expertise for these textures comes out of Microsoft’s Boulder, CO (think Vexcel). This is way cool! Source of inspiration for this update is http://virtualearth.spaces.live.com/ – please note, these data were updated on Dec. 19 so I don’t really need to hear any smack from you eagle-eyes who want to keep ripping on me for posting “old” stuff ;0)