[OSRS-PROJ] Review of the book "Map Projection Transformation"

Clifford J Mugnier cjmce at lsu.edu
Tue Mar 23 22:40:44 EST 2004





The typos are an indication of the exquisite care John took with his books
and publications when he was around to do it.  Since this tome was
published after his death, the comparison is striking.  For those that knew
John, it actually is an excellent legacy for the old Quaker.  From the
grave he's saying, "See, I told you so!"

Considering the claims that the Russians invented damn near everything
under the sun in map projections from what the book by Bugayevskiy and
Snyder (and obviously claimed by the Russian) ... John's infinite patience,
courtesy, diplomacy and grace managed to get the book into print anyway.

Rest in peace, John.

Cliff Mugnier
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
------------------------------------------
I have developed a great deal of reservations about the book "Map
Projection
Transformation: Principles and Applications" by Qihe Yang, John Snyder
and
Waldo Tobler.  The recent activity on the Rossilhe projection and its
version
in the book having an obvious typo (end of line 2 of eqn. 2.2.25, p.20)
and
a suspicious looking equation (last line of eqn. 2.2.28, p.20) bothered
me.

Also on page 79 nomenclature gets a little different compared to
Snyder's
usage in PP 1395 regarding what I would call the isometric latitude.
After
eqn 3.5.2 "q" is referred to as the "conformal latitude function or
conformal
isometric latitude."  I am used to most sources referring only the
isometric
latitude.  Obviously a simple matter of style.

Note on eqn 3.3.5 "tan" is omitted from the equation for the conformal
latitude (page 79).

After a superficial use of a dozen or so pages of this book I have found
sufficient material to make me apprehensive of any further usage.  It
appears
to be sloppily proofed.  The style of the prose if often too terse and
reads more
like a math function handbook than an informative text book.

According to P.B. Anderson, this was the book Snyder was working on
at the time of his death.  At the moment I feel it it is an unfortunate
legacy.

_____________________________________
Jerry and the low riders: Daisy Mae and Joshua

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