Mapping programs & GIS programs

[Robert Raven]

On Tue, 6 Jun 1995, Gary Noonan wrote:

>         The Windows version of Atlas GIS can digitize--although I haven't
> probably better off in choosing GIS software because it can do formerly
> impossible geographic analyses that will increasingly probably be expected
> as part of grant funded research.  I don't know if QUIKmap  can do
> geographic analyses.
 Heartily agreed. This was exactly the point being put on a GIS list I
subcribed too and one of the more relevant discussion on that list at the
time was whether Mapinfo itself is a GIS. I think it is a matter of
degree but I very much doubt whether QUIKmap with pcx files is up to GIS
or other analyses.
My concern (to partially undo my previous point) is that as an active
taxonomist I found myself fighting to get a decent printed output for
publication and the hassles left me little time to explore the analytical
component. Often we only need to print maps, no?
Robert J Raven, Museum Scientist (Arachnology)
Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Australia