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

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)

Happy Holidays to my readers and you GIS users

Ok, I'm not officially on Christmas vacation... well, until later today anyway ;0) I'm off to beat the crowds bright and early, just checked in on Santa's progress via Norad Santa (he just left Japan) and I have to go swap out a new phone at T-Mobile... then its time for a soak in the hot tub, watch the Broncos pound the Bungles (I would have gone to mile high but I'm a wimp when it comes to sitting in 20 degree weather for 3 hours). Let me say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you blog readers and GISuser enthusiasts etc... Have a safe and happy season... Glenn

Santa Tracker Reminder from Google

This reminder comes from Google... Even if you don't have a reindeer team of your own, you can still use the Google Earth Santa Tracker to follow Santa's fabled flight from rooftop to rooftop in glorious, satellite-imaged 3-D. First, you'll need to download the latest version of Google Earth, and then the Santa
Tracker file. Open the file on December 24th to start watching St. Nick in real time. See http://earth.google.com/santa - if you don't have Google Earth and don't want to use any plug-ins etc... consider following Santa with the NORAD Santa tracker - see www.noradsanta.org - he just hit Japan when I last checked!

Installing & Troubleshooting and securing your home or office wireless router

I recently made a move and as a result, decided to change my ISP as well. I'm now up and running at home with a bundled service from Comcast. Getting the wireless network up and running though was not exactly pug-and-play. Here's a few comments and notes from my experience that might help you if you ever decide to add a wireless router to your home system... maybe Santa will put a spanky, new Wireless N router under your tree ;0)

Once your service is being fed to your house (in my case I have a box from comcast), you now need to connect your wireless router to the system (go wireless G or even better, N)... simply plug it into the box and theoretically you're now serving your connection wirelessly through your home. Now you need to connect your PCs or Notebooks to the system... this part may cause you some troubles. First you need to get in and configure settings for your router. No need to worry about software etc... that you may or may not have installed. You can do this using a web browser and the following instructions. Note: if you have no wireless you should be able to simply wire your notebook or PC directly into the router provided you have some CAT5 cable kicking around (I never leave home without a cable!)

Steps for Installing & Troubleshooting and securing your home or office wireless router

First, you can establish an online connection if you know the correct IP address to use. Not sure about the IP... try this sequence.
Open a command line window - Using a Windows PC - Start / Run / CMD

- you should get a familiar little black command window
-  Try to ping the default IP 192.168.1.1 (this is frequently the default IP address) - type ping 192.168.1.1
- if you get a message that reads "request timed out" then you need to use a slightly a different IP address
- type ipconfig this should return some parameters including your IP (Default gateway)
- ping the IP from the gateway value
- this is now the IP address that you need to access your wireless router settings. From IE or Netscape enter http://(your IP address) i.e.. http://192.168.1.1

- this will get you to a page that is specific to your router where you can configure it. Hopefully you know the default settings so you can login. If you've never run through this before then you can use the defaults... not sure what the defaults are? Consult your router manufacturer's website.. a simple google search should locate it easily. Quite often the default login will simply be admin / admin

- setup all the security login keys for your network and save

- hopefully now you can establish a connection from your notebook or PC. View all available wireless networks, then try and connect. You should be prompted for your WPA key if you set up security.

- Finally, I was using USB wireless "dongles" to connect my PC in the past, however, to get a better/faster wireless connection I then decided to install a wireless G network adaptor card into my machine... quite simple to do and cost about $40... well worthwhile. The Dell notebook still connects quite easily to the network, however, I'm convinced that the wireless card that comes with Dell products is not "totally" compatible or efficient... I may decide to swap that one out as well.

Good Luck