IWM Trench Map Archive CD

[Broznitsky]

I am in possession of this CD, produced by the Naval and Military Press.

How does it differ from the WFA's "Mapping the Front" DVDs? Does WFA have an offering that duplicates what was offered on the 2001 CD?

Peter

[johnreed]

Hi Peter

I have the following Maps CD's/DVD's:-

The Imperial War Museum Trench Map Archive Version 1.0 Dated 2000

The Imperial War Museum British Trench Map Atlas (The Western Front 1914-1918 1:10,000 regular series) Very good as its searchable.

The WFA and IWM Mapping the Front (Ypres - British Mapping 1914 1918).

The WFA and IWM Mapping the Front (Official History of the War) British Mapping 1914 - 1918.

The WFA and IWM Mapping the Front (General Haig's Maps - 1)

The Great War Digital and Memory Map (750 1:10,000 British Trench Maps)

All these maps the first on my list has been superceded by the second one, you must must excuse me Peter as I have a thing for maps being an ex-army surveyor.

John

[Broznitsky]

Hi John

I have the following Maps CD's/DVD's:-

The Imperial War Museum Trench Map Archive Version 1.0 Dated 2000

The Imperial War Museum British Trench Map Atlas (The Western Front 1914-1918 1:10,000 regular series) Very good as its searchable.

All these maps the first on my list has been superceded by the second one,

I think what you are saying is that the Trench Map Atlas has everything the Trench Map Archive has, and more?

[MartinWills]

That's about right, Brinitsky. On the latest N&M disc you get pretty complete coverage of all sectors where the British were and the advantage of successive editions in many cases. They are all 1:10,000 scale.

The WFA ones are different and include a range of scales and "special" maps toghether with aerial photogrpahs, but essentially you just get (large) jpeg files with supporting documentation, er viewer software, map descriptions etc etc. The WFA discs offer more interesting material but are basic in presentation. There are various reviews and comments elsewhere on the forum. Do bear in mind that each title offers a relatively limited area.

If I have one real criticism of the WFA discs it relates to the Official History disc which is not as complete of the older N&M Official History (Western Front) disc and which does not stray outside the Western Front - which N&M did with a second disc covering "Other Theatres".

The Great War digital offering will give you similar coverage to the N&M offering (slightly better, I seem to recall) but does offer so much more as it works with GPS and includes modern mapping etc. It may be the most expensive, but if you use all it's facilities it is well worth the expense.

[Smithmaps]

The Great War digital offering will give you similar coverage to the N&M offering (slightly better, I seem to recall) but does offer so much more as it works with GPS and includes modern mapping etc. It may be the most expensive, but if you use all it's facilities it is well worth the expense.

Martin,

The key difference with 'LinesMan' is that you get 'Geo referencing', that is registration of the maps into real world co ordinates. It sounds complicated, but it is a fundamental difference. All the other products, just include scanned maps to be chosen from lists.

In simple terms, it gives you the ability to double click above or beside the map that you have open, and it automatically opens the next one, without having to refer back to a key. Plus if you are working at the edge, or a corner, you can merge the two maps together, to make one big one. It also means that each dated edition is effectively stacked in one place, and are accessible with a right click on that point. It means that from one open map location, you can simply move North, South, East or West, or forward or back in time from the screen presented.

So there has been a whole lot of work that has gone into improving ease of use, and enhancing a greater understanding of how each map fits into it's neighbours and the rest of the war , with overlays that cover the whole Western Front and allow orientation, and simple location of where the action was.

Add 3D modelling, GPS, modern map comparison, upgradeability and PDA use I could go on all night.

Guy

[johnreed]

Guy

I know of the work you have done with Linesman. I would not go anywhere on the Western Front wothout my trusty PDA and and SD Cards containing my Trench Maps. In fact I could not have completed my "Gazetteer of the Western Front" without "Linesman" which I am still proof reading, a long and labourious task.

John