cshontz
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Today was spent experimenting with RouteBuddy 2.6 Demo for OS X, and MacGPS Pro 8.6, which I bought properly. I am using my Garmin 276c to interface with the computer using USB. The goal is simple: I want a detailed, moving topographical map that always marks my position during mobile use. I need little else, but of course waypoint and track-log handling would be handy too.
First, I tried RouteBuddy, which meets my relatively basic needs, and has a good interface that remains true to Mac usability standards. When I fired it up, it detected the GPS right away, positioned the map accordingly, and all of the lines are nice and clean. It's a very simply, responsive, easy to use application that is pleasing to look at. For domestic "backwoods" use, I think I'd love it with the appropriate base-maps. For international, or expeditionary use, I think users might be limited to the application's proprietary map data.
Unfortunately, I have to rule out RouteBuddy simply because its real-time position reporting with the Garmin 276c connected via USB hangs every time I access the "File" menu (or any other drop-down menu). So basically, if I'm mobile, and use the pull-down menu while tracking my position. I have to shut down the GPS, shut down RouteBuddy, and restart both to resume tracking. It's a frustratingly small glitch that prevents me from using software that I otherwise love. I was unable to find a solution.
After that, I tried MacGPS Pro, which I've owned for some time now, but haven't used much in the field. First, let me say that I can appreciate the brilliance of MacGPS Pro's developer who clearly knows his stuff. It is a powerful GPS/computer mapping interface that is largely beyond me. On the same token, it is about the most unintuitive, alien, user-hostile piece of Mac software that I've ever seen in my life. It suits professional cartographers, navigators, geologists, rocket scientists, brain surgeons, and astro-physicists. It's voodoo... and after using it, I feel very much compelled to douse my firing neurons with a cold beer. (which I will do upon submitting this post)
MacGPS Pro's strength lies in the ability to use practically any raster image as a moving map. In addition to several other base-map formats I fail to grasp. I believe OZI Explorer, and a handful of other software (mostly for PC), also function similarly.
The other year, I was able to find a PDF map of a PA State Forest, use Photoshop to convert it to a large, raster image, and then import it into, and calibrate it with MacGPS Pro. The resulting base-map wasn't dead-on accurate when I was on the trail, but I'm sure that could have been attributed to user error. I probably didn't account for the .003% deviation in the asymmetry of the Earth when I calibrated it.
Today, I downloaded USGS 24K PA state maps which were seemingly already in a pre-calibrated "pict" format. All one has to do is download those maps, figure out which ones you want to load, and voila. Once you have a working base-map, MacGPS Pro becomes much more impressive, although still very difficult to use and unintuitive. For instance, the "zoom out" looks like it should be the "zoom in" button, and vice-versa. It is also very temperamental with the GPS connection, as you cannot reconnect the GPS to the software after disconnecting it once. If you try, you'll get the spinning beachball of death.
So in summary, RouteBuddy looks much more desirable in terms of user-experience, and ease of use. Although, I choose not to use it because of a GPS connectivity problem which... may be an isolated case. Ymmv. And, MacGPS Pro is an extremely complicated, yet highly effective, and versatile mess. It should be noted that the next version of RouteBuddy, RouteBuddy 3, is due "soon", and MacGPS Pro just released version 9.
RouteBuddy
http://www.routebuddy.com/
MacGPS Pro
http://www.macgpspro.com/
First, I tried RouteBuddy, which meets my relatively basic needs, and has a good interface that remains true to Mac usability standards. When I fired it up, it detected the GPS right away, positioned the map accordingly, and all of the lines are nice and clean. It's a very simply, responsive, easy to use application that is pleasing to look at. For domestic "backwoods" use, I think I'd love it with the appropriate base-maps. For international, or expeditionary use, I think users might be limited to the application's proprietary map data.
Unfortunately, I have to rule out RouteBuddy simply because its real-time position reporting with the Garmin 276c connected via USB hangs every time I access the "File" menu (or any other drop-down menu). So basically, if I'm mobile, and use the pull-down menu while tracking my position. I have to shut down the GPS, shut down RouteBuddy, and restart both to resume tracking. It's a frustratingly small glitch that prevents me from using software that I otherwise love. I was unable to find a solution.
After that, I tried MacGPS Pro, which I've owned for some time now, but haven't used much in the field. First, let me say that I can appreciate the brilliance of MacGPS Pro's developer who clearly knows his stuff. It is a powerful GPS/computer mapping interface that is largely beyond me. On the same token, it is about the most unintuitive, alien, user-hostile piece of Mac software that I've ever seen in my life. It suits professional cartographers, navigators, geologists, rocket scientists, brain surgeons, and astro-physicists. It's voodoo... and after using it, I feel very much compelled to douse my firing neurons with a cold beer. (which I will do upon submitting this post)
MacGPS Pro's strength lies in the ability to use practically any raster image as a moving map. In addition to several other base-map formats I fail to grasp. I believe OZI Explorer, and a handful of other software (mostly for PC), also function similarly.
The other year, I was able to find a PDF map of a PA State Forest, use Photoshop to convert it to a large, raster image, and then import it into, and calibrate it with MacGPS Pro. The resulting base-map wasn't dead-on accurate when I was on the trail, but I'm sure that could have been attributed to user error. I probably didn't account for the .003% deviation in the asymmetry of the Earth when I calibrated it.
Today, I downloaded USGS 24K PA state maps which were seemingly already in a pre-calibrated "pict" format. All one has to do is download those maps, figure out which ones you want to load, and voila. Once you have a working base-map, MacGPS Pro becomes much more impressive, although still very difficult to use and unintuitive. For instance, the "zoom out" looks like it should be the "zoom in" button, and vice-versa. It is also very temperamental with the GPS connection, as you cannot reconnect the GPS to the software after disconnecting it once. If you try, you'll get the spinning beachball of death.
So in summary, RouteBuddy looks much more desirable in terms of user-experience, and ease of use. Although, I choose not to use it because of a GPS connectivity problem which... may be an isolated case. Ymmv. And, MacGPS Pro is an extremely complicated, yet highly effective, and versatile mess. It should be noted that the next version of RouteBuddy, RouteBuddy 3, is due "soon", and MacGPS Pro just released version 9.
RouteBuddy
http://www.routebuddy.com/
MacGPS Pro
http://www.macgpspro.com/
