Free and Open Source GIS Software Program Applications to Download

3map is a Free Software project being built with the support of the Telstra Broadband Fund that provides the client and server capabilities to deliver the Web Augmented
Virtual Earth.

AccuGlobe Desktop 2007 is free to download. Add specific functionality with extensions and plugins.

Aero-Triangulation System software - A collection of Fortran and C programs, UNIX shell scripts, and text files used to perform image coordinate refinement, block adjustment, statistical reporting, and plotting.

AGIS for Windows A simple mapping and GIS shareware package that includes a tutorial to help you with making your own map displays.

ArcGIS Explorer and ArcExplorer are freely available, easy to use, geographic data viewers whose purpose is to allow organizations to provide access to their GIS to a wide audience of non-expert users.

ArcVoyager was created by ESRI's Schools and Libraries team to go along with ArcView. It is a 50-mb package of carefully selected data, ArcView projects, and help files, in a tiered format. There are comparable Windows and Macintosh versions. The help files are written broadly to a
"junior high" level, but ArcVoyager is being used effectively by elementary teachers, middle school students, high schoolers, librarians, college instructors, museum professionals, or parents. Arcview is not required.

AutoREALM is a Free GNU mapping software (a "cartographer") that can design maps of castles, cities, dungeons and more. AutoREALM is generally used by Role-playing Game practicants who enjoy doing their own maps. But it could fits the needs of other people.

Enjoy! I'll be posting more soon.

Mike

New Free GPS Mapping and Geocaching Software to Download

Cetus GPS is the Swiss Army Knife of GPS tracking and field data collection. It is intended for use by GIS surveyors, scientists, explorers and GPS enthusiasts who need to extend the features of their standard GPS equipment.

DNRGarmin GPS Application - This extension was built to provide users the ability to directly transfer data between Garmin GPS handheld receivers and various GIS software packages. Using this program a user can use point features, graphics or shapefile, and upload them to the GPS as Waypoints.

EasyGPS is the fast and easy way to transfer waypoints, routes, and tracks between your computer and your Garmin, Magellan, or Lowrance GPS. EasyGPS lists all of your waypoints on the left side of the screen, and shows a plot of your GPS data on the right. EasyGPS works with every popular handheld GPS receiver, and it is 100% FREE!

ExpertGPS is GPS map software for Windows 7, XP and Vista. View GPS waypoints and tracklogs from any handheld GPS receiver over aerial photos and US topographic maps. Plan your next outdoor adventure over scanned USGS topo maps and send a route directly to your GPS receiver to guide you in the field. View your GPS tracklog over an aerial photo to see exactly where you went.

GeoBuddy is the secret tool used by many successful geocachers who race to be the First to Find! With seamless USGS topographical maps and aerial photo coverage of the entire United States, GeoBuddy makes it easy to plan out a day of geocaching, locate parking, and get a bird's eye view of the terrain before you go.

GEO/GARNIX Free coordinate conversion program and tool for communicating between PC and Garmin GPS navigation devices.

Enjoy!

Mike

Download Free GPS Maps and Software Programs for Tracking and Navigation

I've recently updated the free GPS maps and software resources. New software added and working now on adding free Garmin GPS, Magellan GPS, TomTom GPS and others. Over the next week you will be able to find GPS maps for navigation and tracking for auto, phone and handheld portable GPS devices.

Download Free GPS Maps and Software for Tracking and Navigation

Learning GIS - Digital Cartography, Neogeograpy and Neocartography

I thought it would be worthwhile to review some of the free tutorials, software programs, geodata and shapefiles, and other resources available to those of you who want to learn GIS and create your own digital maps.

If GIS (Geographic Information System) is new to you, visit: What is GIS and how does it work? For a list of GIS and related tutorials visit this Free GIS page from my Learn2Map Free GIS Tutorial and Atlas. Note that this tutorial is based on an older version of ArcExplorer which may or may not work on your computer. If not, the latest version of ArcExplorer is available here. I plan on updating the tutorial soon.

ArcExplorer is a free GIS viewer. With it can view your GIS layers, alter the order in which they appear, change the theme properties and do some queries, but it is not a full-blow GIS programs. In the past, the only way to get a full-blown GIS program was to pay many hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars for the sotware. This has all changed.

There are many free and open source GIS programs out there that give you the capability to do most everything some of the very expensive commercial programs do. My listing of free GIS programs includes many of these. Some of the newest and best include:

• MapWindow
  
  
• Grass GIS
  
  
• Agis GIS.
  

My listings of Free GIS Software also includes many tools and resources that will be useful to you as you advance in your understanding of GIS. Most all GIS, both free and commercial, use the defacto standard shapefile format. The number of free shapefiles available to you is growing daily in most any category you can think of. For example:

• Open GIS Shapefile Map Layers and GeoTIFF Images of the World by Country
  
  
• Renewable and Alternative Green Energy Maps and Shapefiles
  
  
• U.S. State ArcGIS Shapefile Map Layers
  
  
• Census Tiger/Line 2009 ArcGIS Shapefile
  
  
• Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, Oceania, South America & North America ArcGIS Shapefile Map Layers
  
  
• National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD) 2009 ArcGIS Shapefiles
  
  
• Wireless, cell phone towers and antennas, TV, radio, amateur radio shapefiles
  
  
• Natural Disaster ArcGIS Shapefile Map Layer Series
  
  
• EPA Criteria Pollutant ArcGIS GIS Shapefile Map Layers
  
  
• Mexico Canada U.S. Transportation ArcGIS Shapefiles
  
  
• EPA Geospatial Map Layers in ArcGIS Shapefile, KMZ and KML Formats
  

This is just a sampling of what is out there and available to you. I add more to my list of free GIS shapefiles each day.

MapCruzin.com has been online since 1996 providing free GIS software, geodata and shapefiles, tutorials and resources. New items are added on a daily basis and most are announced on the MapCruzin Blog. You can also, follow me on Twitter.

If you'd like updates by email, please sign up at the top of the blog or on any MapCruzin.com page.

Thanks so much and good luck,

Mike Meuser

P.S. Know of any free GIS software, maps, shapefiles, tutorials or resources that should be listed on MapCruzin.com? If you do, please post here. Thnx.

Free Open GIS Shapefile Map Layers and GeoTIFF Images of the World by Country

The world of free GIS shapefiles is growing fast. Back in 1996 I started creating and collecting shapefile map layers. Most of what was available to me was United States based. Over the years more and more requests came in for GIS shapefiles for other places in the world. I've made an effort to provide more free international shapefiles, but until fairly recently, they've been difficult to come by.

With the advent of open source, open gis, creative commons and just plain sharing in general, much more is now available.

CloudMade provides free map layers in GIS shapefiles and several GPS formats. These global themes are available by country.

Natural Earth creates GIS shapefiles AND GeoTIFF images of countries of the world. These maps are in the public domain so you can use them for any purpose that you like. I'm very thankful for these extremely useful new cartographic resources. If you are new to GIS, check out the free Learn2map GIS Tutorial and Atlas.

Access the Openstreetmap - Cloudmade and Natural Earth GIS shapefiles, GeoTIFF images, and GPS maps