[maplab-users] Next MapLab relase suggestion

[Dave McIlhagga]

Thank you very much for the message.  As Paul mentioned in his message, 
this is something that we internally have been discussing a lot over the 
past few months and you will likely see some big changes coming to 
MapLab in the coming months.

This is the first time we have been releasing a real end-user product, 
so inevitably -- we've been learning a lot through this experience.  I 
want to thank every one of you for your patience with us as we work to 
improve MapLab and everything that comes with it.

Largely as a result of our experience developing MapLab - here are a few 
things that will be happening at DM Solutions' in the coming months that 
I believe will have a big impact on MapLab:


1. We've committed ourselves to instituting a strong automated quality 
control process for future development so that we can catch more of the 
common bugs and problems before we release the software to the community.

2. We're also going to be making a stronger commitment to the 
development and maintenance of software documentation such as user 
guides, FAQs, tutorials, and better installation guides.

3. Since one of our goals is to provide software that will make life 
EASIER for managing web mapping applications -- the installation issues 
mentioned in your message are of the highest priority for us to address.


Once again, I thank all of you for your patience with us as we work to 
improve what we can make available to the community.  We have some 
really exciting new technology that has been developed in the past few 
months that we are very keen to integrate with MapLab this 
spring/summer.  This will be pending funding that we are hoping to 
secure.  Given this takes place -- we'll be soliciting the community for 
your thoughts and ideas on how we can make MapLab a better product 
before the next major round of development.


Thanks for the feedback - keep it coming!
Dave
-- 
Dave McIlhagga
President, DM Solutions Group

http://www.dmsolutions.ca
EMail : mcilhagga@dmsolutions.ca
Phone : 613-565-5056 x15
Fax : 613-565-0925



expander@mail.com wrote:
> Dear Developers,
> Dear ALL,
> 
> I want to suggest a very simple way to avoid many problems I (and several other peoples) had got (and have actually) usign MapLab, current version (maplab-2.0dev.zip).
> For example, for a month, I have wasted my time in configuring and settings right Mapserver / MapLab components and fighting with obscure PHP script errors...
> Or better, in selecting wich correct components to use, wich PHP version, wich http server, wich right data format support, and more...
> Then, for another month, I've spent my time in understanding for wich damned reason my MapInfo .tab files weren't correctly supported: in other words why MapBrowser doesn't show any image in map preview...
> Wrong data "extensions" setting?
> Wrong data format support?
> Wrong Mapserver / MapLab components?
> Wrong o.s. (win2000)? :-(
> Even if DM Solutions staff was kind and available, problems persist...
> So I want to suggest a simply way to make simpler life of MapLab users, above all Windows users.
> In next incoming relase, why don't include all necessary components (http server, PHP, OGR support, gdal, ecc.) already configured, tested and packed together?
> Even managed by a .msi installer wich create right directories, path(s) and verify right software configuration...
> MapLab is a good product, I think, but what users really need is a minimum standardization in installing process of its components.
> 
> 
> expander@mail.com
> -----------------
> 
>