USAPhotoMaps Emergency

Teegate

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All,

I just learned that on May 1 Microsoft is shutting down the maps that are used by USAPhotoMaps. That measn the 1995 aerial will no longer be available for us to use with this program.

So, if you use this program start right now downloading all of the area's and levels you want in the pines. If not you will no longer have them.

However, I have to say a man from NY claims he has all of NJ and they will be available for everyone to access. But until that happens you will want these maps on your computer.

Sorry for the odd email but I am late getting to bed for work. Go hear and read more where it says NEWSFLASH.


http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/USAphotomaps/

If it comes to it we may all have to pass around the files we have downloaded if we want to still have access to all of the maps. Please do your best to get the files. I have asked the author of the program the fastest way to do this but have not heard back.

Sorry for the messy letter.

Guy
 

Boyd

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That imagery has always been available for free download from NJGIN. They are available as either JPEG or MRSID.

https://njgin.state.nj.us/NJ_NJGINExplorer/IW.jsp?DLayer=NJ 1995 DOQQs

Funny, I haven't even seen anyone mention USAPhotoMaps for years. I can't remember exactly how it works, but I think it uses WMS servers. If so, then you could get the data in that format here:

https://njgin.state.nj.us/NJ_NJGINE...&sName=PUBLIC_BROWSE&mode=&loggedIn=undefined

This would be the URL of the server to provide the map tiles: http://njwebmap.state.nj.us/njimagery

But there are a lot of other more modern programs that can use this WMS data and turn it directly into custom maps for your Oregon. I don't know about the Mac, but if you're using USAPhotoMaps you must be using Windows anyway.
 

Teegate

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Does anyone here use USAPhotoMaps? If so, I would be interested in acquiring the topo maps of NJ that have been loaded into your computer while you used it, especially the southern portion of the state. If you are interested, please let me know.

Guy
 

Boyd

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Also, I just checked and I have a file with 24k USGS topo's for the entire state of New Jersey in OziExplorer .ozfx3 format. It is about 900MB. You can download OziExplorer here, the free demo version might do what you want: http://www.oziexplorer.com/

There are also other programs that can read .ozfx3 files, but you would need to research those yourself.
 

Teegate

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If OziExplorer will not download the 1995 aerial it really does not do me any good. I need a program where I can switch back and forth from 1995 aerials and topo maps. USAPhotoMaps does that best. I have the aerials of the pines in its entirety, but I was not able to get the topo's before they shut down.

Guy
 

Teegate

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Ozi can open any kind of raster imagery, but you would need to make your own maps. It doesn't "download" anything.

That is why USAPhotoMaps is the way to go.

I have been playing with my Mac program Terraserver and if I boot up in an older system the cache works and I have 46MB of maps stored. So I checked and my new system has 256MB of maps so I switched cache files and the older system won't allow Terraserver to read it. So I have most if not all of the maps I need but they won't work properly.

Guy
 

Teegate

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It's looking like the MSRMaps site may stay up. They received quite a few emails concerning it especially from the USAPhotoMaps Yahoo Groups site and it appears that may have swayed their decision. However, in an email to a member of the USAPhotoMaps Yahooo Groups Microsoft says they are "investigating ways to continue the service with some disclaimers."

I wonder what that means?

Guy
 

Boyd

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I find it kind of ironic. Everyone likes to bash Microsoft (I've certainly done my own share), and now they're mad when Microsoft decides to take away something free that they have offered for many years. But I don't remember seeing many people thank them for the free maps while they were being offered.

Such is the nature of our "entitlement society" I guess....
 
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