~Toughbooktalk~

Well... I'll start the ball rolling here for the heck of it.

Since the economy has tightened everyone's wallet these days... I was wondering about licensing on my IGuidance software. I prefer IGuidance only because it has big buttons that are very touchscreen friendly. Unlike Sreets & Trips that will allow you to install on multiple laptops... IGuidance will only allow you to install on one laptop at a time. When you want to switch it to another laptop... You have to "Park" your COA back on the IGuidance website for future use. My plan was to go ahead and install IGuidance on my CF-18 and then, when needed, release my CF-30 and start it up on my CF-18... Then when I need it back on the CF-30, release the CF-18.... Am I being too cheap? Can this be done?

I do have several S&T DVDs on the way that I won on ebay. You can Buy S&T 2007 for around $10USD shipped if you catch the right auction.

And another question here... Since it has to do with S&T... I notice that a lot of ebay sellers include S&T instaled on their laptops with GPS... But they do not include the instal DVD. I would then assume that you can install this on multiple platforms without having to worry about the COA or "Activation"... Can anyone verify this? I think starting with S&T 2008 you must activate it like IGuidance.... Just wondering if anyone knows for sure...

Rick

I know for a fact that S&T 2005 and 2007 that you don't have to activate it. If people selling laptops in auctions are selling all these laptops with S&T's loaded and not including the install DVD/CD then that is ILLEGAL. Whatever, it's not like you would get caught.

As far as the iGuidance is concerned I don't know anything about it, but I wouldn't imagine that switching off between the two on a website would be to big of a deal. On the other hand I wouldn't call them asking about this because then you would proabably raise a red flag on your account for being a cheep ass lol...

Back in the day MapPoint is what I used (Before Streets and Trips came out)... I got it for free from my mom's company back in 02 (it was version 2001) and since then I think S&T's have just taken over and no one really uses MapPoint any more (plus it's expensive as crap)

JB007Rules wrote:I know for a fact that S&T 2005 and 2007 that you don't have to activate it.

2008 for sure you have to register. I have that version and I once already had to restore my laptop and S&T would not work. I tried it first with a set of recovery CD's I made from Ghost after all the windows updates were installed and I had the software package I wanted and then by just using the OEM Recovery CD's and re-installing S&T. Neither way worked. It is worse than the office suite. At least with office, you can recover from Ghost and just re-enter the CD key and be off and running. Not so with S&T. I had to CALL them up and yes, get a NEW CD key. Apparently, according to them, I will have to do this each and everytime I re-image my laptop. They SAY that it will be no problem no matter how many times I have to do this, but I do wonder. I really want a different solution, but funds are tight right now. Believe me, I am watching with interest on this thread. I think I would lean to Iguidance as I mostly use GPS for directions when driving. But it would be nice to have off-road/on-water maps if needed. Should I be looking at 2 or 3 different apps do you think?

I've ended up with 3 packages for mapping, Garmin MobilePC, MapPoint 2006 (w/2009 maps), and TOPO!. Between the 3 of them, I feel like I'm fairly well covered

I've become a big fan of the Garmin MobilePC software. It's super touchscreen friendly, and exceptionally easy to use when zipping down the highway. Its real weakness is trip planning, although it will do trip optimization (the traveling salesman problem). Garmin also has the issue with registration and code management, but so far it hasn't been too much of a problem.

MapPoint is much better for trip planning, but I find using it for on-the-road routing leaves a lot to be desired, especially the lack of automatic off-route recalculation. MapPoint also has the advantage of a DCOM API, that allow it to work as a mapping engine for some specialty software I use for some amateur radio activity. I'm fairly sure that MS is requiring registration starting with the 2008 version of S&T, and the 2009 version of map point.

one thing to note with MapPoint is that the map files themselves are compatible, at least between the 2006-2009 versions. A little work with google will yield directions for using the 2009 maps in the 2006 version of the software.

For Topo maps, I've got National Geographic TOPO!. I'm really not all that thrilled with it, I really suspect that NavTech is the way to go for Topo mapping, but I've already got the NatGeo software, so that's what I'm using.

I'm interested to see what kind of software is going to come out of the OpenStreetMap project. So far, the biggest problem with creating an open-source mapping package is the maps themselves. OSM solves that problem, although the US maps currently aren't that great. I suspect that an OSM based package could be quite competitive with the commercial offerings, and would add the capability for users to update and share the map data.


nine

nine wrote:For Topo maps, I've got National Geographic TOPO!. I'm really not all that thrilled with it, I really suspect that NavTech is the way to go for Topo mapping, but I've already got the NatGeo software, so that's what I'm using.

All I can say is this (not to say that I don't have mapping software on my Toughbook, because I do...) is that having built in NAV into my car is best thing since sliced bread man... Last year me and Samantha (future wifey) went on a two week vacation from Lombard to Port Canaveral Florida and then from there all the way up the west coast with NO PROBLEMS AT ALL with the built in NAV (I only made ONE wrong turn THAT WHOLE 2 WEEK TRIP and that is when Samantha was yaking at me about something goofy and I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and I missed my exit )... anyways w00t w00t for built in NAV

I am getting ready to install the GPS/WWAN sled I bought from ohlip and need the part numbers for the external antenna cover (the plastic box), the seals and any other parts needed to install. Also, if I remember correctly, the antenna cable is not there from the factory so I need the number for that also, or a place to purchase a like item. Thanks for everything guys!

I've been using this (& previous versions) for mapping for a few years.

http://www.mapfactor.cz/en/products/map ... vigator-8/

It has two different programs that share the map data; a 'map explorer' that allows you to browse the maps, plot routes etc and a dedicated Navigator program which is designed for in-vehicle use with a touchscreen (though it also works with a mousepad).

I have been using delorme 2008 and it does not need to be activated. I have installed it on multiple toughooks no problem it is a nice program to use. I compare it to S&T


-James

What kind of GPS NAV software is available for Linux/Sidux? I would think (hope) it would be free as everything else with Linux seems to be.

Anyone?

Toughbook wrote:What kind of GPS NAV software is available for Linux/Sidux? I would think (hope) it would be free as everything else with Linux seems to be.

GPSDrive is probably your best bet, but unfortunately, its fairly limited. It's mainly due to the lack of free data. Navtec and Tele-Atlas are the two primary sources of road navigation data, and they charge $$$ per copy. The Open Street Map project is making a start at a free data source, and there are some packages that use their data (including GPSDrive), but as far as I have found, no one is doing routing on the OSM maps at this point.

nine