Get a Jump on G&ES 387

In Computer Cartography (G&ES 377), you made a variety to thematic maps. In this course we won't be making maps as much as we'll be making them interactive and delivering them dynamicaly. I'll provide maps and images as we go along for you to use as "raw material." For educational purposes, you can use maps you find on line -- as long as you cite the source.

Prepare Map Series

In preparation for one of the first assignments, you will be creating a series of same-sized images from Google Maps (or other sources) to compile an animated .gif. You might save some time if you assembled these now. Cropping and resizing will be easily done in class, but if you have special images (e.g., of your house), find them now. A second set of images -- all the same size -- will be useful for the java assignment. These must all be coordinated around a theme -- maps and images of one area, series of maps and imags from various cities; your maps from 377; etc.

Take Photographs

Another assignment involves making a panorama from a series of digital photographs. If you have access to a digital camera and a tripod, you might do well taking a 360 panorama and keeping these images in reserve. You can do this with a hand-held, even without a tripod (though tripod is better). Keep the camera level as possible, and overlap just a bit on the vertical edges.

We'll be working with some shape files (from ArcGIS). If you have an area of interest and some GIS skills or resources, you would do well putting together some Shape Files for your own area of study. Don't do something too complicated -- simple projects are best for learning. Otherwise, I'll provide them for generic areas.

Google Groups is a good way to learn about most anything. Search the groups by keyword for your question -- someone's probably already asked it and several people have probably replied. To post a message yourself you must register. You'd do well to register now if you haven't already.

Download and tinker

Google Sketchup (Earth.google.com) would be a fine one to download and play with. Corel R.A.V.E. is part of the Corel Suite v 11-12, if you have it. Photopaint, also part of the Corel Suite will be very useful to know. Any amount of time you tinker with these, the better off you will be. The same is true for .html coding. There are plenty of on-line tutorials for .html at all skill levels.

Graduate students will be required to find, develop, master, present, and provide instructional materials on a unique cartographic technique. This will most likely will be something unique and useful from on-line.