Portable computers and GPS

[Jim Croft]

Fax copy: Alex Chapman, Herbarium PERTH

Following on from Steve Shattuck's reply to this question:

At the ANBG we also us a Magellan GPS and we are in the process of
purchasing another.  Many of the herbarian and museums in Australia are
now using or in the process of acquiring portable GPS equipment of one
form or another for field work.  For collection and survey information,
GPS has been declared the preferred means of specifying point location.
The improved accuracy means that collecting data can have wider use in
GIS, plotting applications etc.

Portable computers for field use are proving more problematic.  We have
various toshibas, sharps, and we have had a look at the macs.  The are
still too heavy, too prone to damage and ingress of dust/moisture,
insufficiently rugged, and too hungry with batteries, etc. to rave about
yet.  When someone finds the ideal, let us know.

There have been several attempts at a field-note application and a means
of integrating the field data into the home database.  One of the first
in Australia was HERBIE, developed at the Western Australian Herbarium
(herb. PERTH).  Contact Alex Chapman for details (unfortunately PERTH is
not on the Internet yet, but they soon will be).

cheers
jim

______________________________________________________________________________
Jim Croft                  [Herbarium CBG]           internet: jrc at anbg.gov.au
Australian National Botanic Gardens                     voice:  +61-6-2509 490
GPO Box 1777, Canberra, ACT 2601, AUSTRALIA               fax:  +61-6-2509 599
____Biodiversity Directorate, Australian National Parks & Wildlife Service____