Having used Mapinfo at Northants, transferred to ArcView at Cheshire and now
gone back to Mapinfo at Wolverhampton/Black Country I feel that I should be
able to speak with some authority on this subject, although I have no claims
to be an IT wizard so my observations are fairly basic.
I found ArcView a lot easier to use than Mapinfo. It seems more intuitive
and easier and quicker for basic drawing and editing, simple querying and
preparing layouts.
On the other hand you do seem to be able to do more with Mapinfo. Raster
images can be registered to the National Grid (albeit, so I am told, rather
primitively) so if you have the early OS maps from Landmark this is a
consideration. They have to be reconfigured for ArcView (10% of purchase
price if you ask Landmark to undertake it). The limitations of ArcView can
be overcome by use of its 'big brother' ArcInfo. This system looks rather
daunting for a non-specialist so its use may depend on what level of IT
support is available to you.
Another consideration is that Mapinfo and ArcView require the OS maps in
different formats. Presumably this would not be a problem to you if you
transferred to your local authority standard system but if you stayed with a
different system you might find extra expense when the OS mapping was
updated.
The final consideration is that ExeGesIS SMR was originally designed to run
with Mapinfo so you might find the link with ArcView was not as good but I
am sure that others can comment on this better than I.
You can always comfort yourself with the thought that, unlike me, you don't
have an SMR covering four different authorities who use two entirely
different GIS systems!
Mike Shaw
Black Country Archaeologist
----- Original Message -----
From: "Victoria Bryant" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2000 10:02 AM
Subject: MapInfo v ArcView
> The Worcestershire SMR uses exegisis with MapInfo.
> Worcestershire County Council has recently decided to go over to
> Arch Info and ArchView. It would seem sensible for the SMR to
> transfer to Arch View as well but I wondered if any of you had any
> feelings for or against MapInfo and ArcView generally and the way
> they work in exegisis in particular?
>
> Thank you in anticipation
>
> Victoria Bryant
> Victoria Bryant
> Information and Records Officer
> Worcestershire Archaeological Service
> Woodbury Hall
> University College Worcester, WR2 6AJ
> Tel: 01905 855494
> Fax 01905 855035
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