Features
Location
Technology and Business
Intelligence Conference
March 17, 2004
We
recently asked Joe Francica of Directions Magazine some questions
regarding the upcoming Location Technology and Business Intelligence
Conference. Here is an excerpt.
MP2Kmag: As Direction's
first conference, what challenges do you face?
JRF:
The challenge is to gain
immediate credibility with sponsors. This
is often a Catch 22 situation since the conference has never before
been held. So, we demonstrated by way of a unique statement of goals
and objectives, plus some personal selling, and an unusual perspective
on how topics should be presented in each plenary that this conference
would be different. The format is somewhat different as well with
speakers giving case studies, and then having technology providers
respond with a panel discussion. Then, we had to sell attendees to
invest time and money into coming. The results will not be known until
May 10th. But the combination of companies from GIS, location
determination technology, and business intelligence, who are sponsors,
plus those companies who signed on to present case studies, makes this
a truly worthwhile event. All you have to do is look at the agenda.
MP2Kmag: Do you see this
as the successor to the Business Geographics
conference?
JRF:
Maybe. But we're in a
different point on the technology adoption
curve. That's what makes it different. Back in 1993 when the Business
Geographics conference started, it was a milestone event. Software
companies finally met demographic and geographic data providers and the
next few years after that experienced a boom in the market. The same is
true now as we enter a new era where companies are looking to leverage
location technology in many different facets of their business to gain
market intelligence and thus a strategic advantage. We're in a global
economy and companies need a global perspective: international data,
mobile workforces, enterprise interoperability across IT platforms and
applications. Location is a major component of a company's assets; they
need to start leveraging the assets better. That's where this
conference will be focusing its attention. The CIO needs to be more
aware of how location technology can be useful within major enterprise
applications. We think this forum presents an opportunity for that
discussion to take place.
One
Thousandth User Registers in MP2Kmag Forums
March 2, 2004
Mark LaCore of the Voyageur Bus Company became the 1,000th user to
register in the MP2Kmag Discussion Forums this past month. I asked Mark
how he uses MapPoint and if he could share his experiences.
"That would be fine with me,
but the truth is I don't yet use MapPoint! It's on order and I just
checked online to find that it should be here today. I have been on the
MP2Kmag site frequently to research mapping programs, and registered on
the forum to better research some questions I have.
"I
work for a bus contractor in Duluth, MN called Voyageur Bus Company,
part of Minnesota Coaches,
Inc. Most of the routes that we operate are managed by the school
districts we service, using either Edulog or Versatrans routing
software. However, there are 3 area charter schools and a Day Activity
Center for handicapped adults, with about 800 students/clients
altogether, for which we are responsible for all routing. Those routes
have been handled using an absolute bare minimum of computer
technology, and I have now been assigned the job of modernizing our
systems for managing them. We do not need, nor can we afford, a
full-scale routing program. After researching our options, I concluded
that Access together with MapPoint, was our best bet for managing our
student/client, stop, and route information. We also operate a
motorcoach service that runs nationwide, so MapPoint will fit into that
operation eventually, as well.
"For nine years - until January of 2003 - I worked as the
transportation director for one of those local school districts, where
I implemented and managed Edulog. It was time to get out of that line
of work, so I quit to begin my
own business designing web sites, newsletters, and such. I'm back
in transportation with Voyageur only part-time to give me a steady
paycheck. I have considerable experience creating school bus routes via
computer, having also put Edulog into service in a school district in
Colorado. Using Access and MapPoint will be a new experience for me,
but it appears to be the best fit for our purposes at this time. The
boss has been good, buying me a brand-new machine to do this on, and
I'm looking forward to the task ahead."
If you see Mark in the forums, say hello!
Articles
Interview
with Steve Lombardi
by Jacek Rutkowski, February 24, 2004
msmobiles.com: Could you introduce yourself?
Steve Lombardi: I work for
MapPoint group, my title is "technical
evangelist", my name is Steve Lombardi and I cover all the mapping
products: Pocket Streets, MapPoint Web Service, and
the new MapPoint Location Server.
msmobiles.com: You cover all geographical.. maps?
Steve Lombardi: Yes, anything
mapping related I cover... so what we
wanted to talk to you about today primarily was the Location Server -
the new
product for getting real time location from operator networks.
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Calling
MapPoint From C++ Without the MFC Safety Net
by Richard Marsden, March 6, 2004
Richard Marsden of Winwaed Software Technology shows
you how to access the MapPoint COM interface from C++ without using
MFC. The code has been tested with Visual C++, Intel C++ Compiler, and
C++Builder.
If you wish to use MapPoint’s COM interface from C++, then you will
quickly find that documentation and tutorials are virtually
non-existent. The few examples that do exist use a handful of COM
functions and classes from MFC (Microsoft Foundation Classes); but many
Win32 C++ programmers use non-Microsoft compilers and development
environments. Also, many of those who do use such environments are
moving away from MFC.
MFC was great when it appeared about ten years ago, but now it is a
proverbial dinosaur: old and lumbering. Standard libraries such as the
STL have superseded much of the MFC. For a while now, MFC has only
really been necessary for its object oriented GUI interface. With the
advent of the much smaller WTL (Windows Template Library), we can
finally say goodbye to MFC.
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MapPoint News
Microsoft
Mobile DevCon 2004: March 23-27
DevCon
will be held next week in San Francico at the Moscone Center West where
the MapPoint Location Server (MLS) will be introduced.
Map-In-A-Box
2.0 Brings Affordable Routing and Proximity Analysis to MapInfo
Professional
Mapping
Solutions LLC announced the release of version 2.0 of its flagship
product, Map-In-A-Box for MapInfo Professional. This new release
includes street-level routing and proximity analysis harnessing the
Microsoft MapPoint routing engine.
SMARTLocator - BETA 2
"SMARTLocator is the
world's first Location Based Application for the Microsoft SmartPhone
platform. It enables you to find out your location anywhere in the UK,
providing detailed zoomable maps. You can also locate your 'Buddys' too
- as well as view 'My Nearest' points of interest - all without the
expense of a GPS."
Apptera
Deploys Packaged Speech Application for Leading U.S. Bank
Apptera announced that its
voice-driven ATM/branch locator
application has been deployed this month by one of the largest U.S.
banks. This deployment of Apptera Locator utilizes Microsoft MapPoint
Web Service location technology and runs on a voice self-service
platform from Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories.
Microsoft MapPoint
Looking for Pricing Advice
Tim
O'Reilly, founder and CEO of O'Reilly & Associates, comments on the
MapPoint Web Service, "After giving up on seeing location-related web
services from AOL/MapQuest (I started nagging them years ago), I've
switched my evangelism to Microsoft, who at least understands that
location-based services are one of the great next generation platform
opportunities."
Microsoft
Steps up Auto Software Push
From the Detroit Free Press
– "A
voice command can open another connection that goes to Microsoft's
MapPoint or MSN Autos Web sites for navigation information. A
global-positioning satellite navigation system on the vehicle
establishes the vehicle's exact location and then displays live traffic
conditions for the route being traveled or a list of, say, the closest
Chinese restaurant or the gas station with the cheapest pump price."
Submit your news
Microsoft and Technology News
Microsoft
To Unveil Preview 2 Of Visual Studio 2005 Next Week
From CRN – "At VSLive next week,
Microsoft will release Preview 2, or the second alpha version of the
Visual Studio 2005, code-named Whidbey. While Microsoft acknowledged
that the release date for the newly named Visual Studio 2005 has
slipped until early next year, the software giant also is readying the
first beta of Visual Studio 2005 for release at Tech Ed 2004 in May."
Wi-Fi's
Big Brother: The Future of Mobile Technology?
From the Economist – "Is WiMax a promising new
wireless technology, or just a load of hot air? This week investors
pumped $20m into Aperto Networks of Milpitas, California, one of
several firms planning to launch WiMax products this year. Heavyweights
such as Intel, Nokia and AT&T are lining up behind the standard.
Sean Maloney, the head of Intel's telecoms division, says it will put
“the next 5 billion users” on the internet."
EU, Microsoft Wrangle as March 24 Deadline Nears
From Reuters – "Microsoft neared
the end of intensive talks to try to settle a landmark EU antitrust
suit that hinges on whether it is willing to make binding, broad
commitments to change the way it does business in Europe."
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