Mapping Software

Blaze,

Don't try to compare it with OziExplorer. Two different animals so to speak I would think.

OziExplorer is the engine which can load and use any digitalized map you wish.
Perhaps I'm barking up the wrong tree as I'm not familiar with Memoery-Map, but even if it can run "stand-alone" (as can NATMAP Premium to view maps) I assume you will still need something like OziExplorer for saving tracks, waypoints and moving map capability.

I still thick OziExplorer is the best investment.

I had a look at this product at the Melbourne Caravan Show yesterday. They were being sold for around $299 for the software plus lots of Hema maps already loaded. From my very brief discussions with people on the stall, it has similar functionality to OziExplorer but I wouldn't hazard a guess as to whether its as good as, better or worse. I may be biased but it would have to be very very good to even come close to OziExplorer.

Toolman

It comes from the UK. Ampro NZ is only the distributor down here.

Blaze
I will 2nd Sandmans comment here partly. I use my Hema Desert, and Simpson Desert CD maps on the Oziexplorer set up, so they must be using the similar type of software.

Thanks for the url to Memory-map site. The base Discoverer version sold in Australia doesn't seem to have any additional functionality to OziExplorer and from the info on their web site, the two programs would appear to be similar. However the next level is Navigator ($50 US upgrade) and the higher version again is Professional ($175 US upgrade) although it doesn't indicate what you gain in these two higher versions.

There's two other advantages with OziExplorer: 1. it's widely used and if you have a problem, the author and many other users can often assist in resolving problems 2. OziExplorer gets reasonably frequent upgrades or fixes. The latter is a positive sign from any software vendor. I've been using OziExplorer for work (mapping customer locations etc) and although it's a bit clunky at times, it's still very good value for its price.

OK, I'll play the Devil's Advocate here. Why would anyone want Hema maps in the first place? It seems to me that they simply reinvent the wheel. I got Great Desert Tracks only to discover that there is not much more on it that my Natmap Premium raster maps show.

Then I thought about getting the Kimberley Maps, but the scale is 1:1,000,000 and again, my Natmaps are 1:250,000. So what is the point?

I'm going to stick with Ozi Explorer, Natmaps and my own maps that I have scanned and geo-referenced.