Major Makeover for Cadcorp Software

Cadcorp,UK-based developer and supplier of GIS and web mapping software, has unveiled latest release, SIS 7.1. All Cadcorp desktop GIS products are now based on the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface, with the result that using SIS 7.1 is now a very similar user experience to that of using other Microsoft Office products. Cadcorp considers the user interface to be more intuitive, easier to learn and easier to use, and the company anticipates that end users will benefit from substantial productivity gains.

Martin Daly, Technical Director, Cadcorp, explained therationale for completely redesigning the interface of Cadcorp SIS software.‘”The GIS industry isn’t immune from a problem that besets any complex softwareproduct. As new functionality gets added, so a product’s user interface canbecome cluttered and hard to navigate. It made sense for us to take a lead fromMicrosoft by standardising on a Fluent-based user interface. Cadcorp was one ofthe earliest GIS software developers to adopt Microsoft Windows as adevelopment platform and we have maintained a reputation for keeping in stepwith developments in mainstream IT.”

Cadcorp has used this opportunity to enhance thecartographic capabilities of SIS. Users can now generate hot-spot maps quicklyand easily using Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) techniques. The quality ofcartographic output has been enhanced through a combination of new labeldetection methods, the inclusion of de-cluttering algorithms and new textplacement functionality. Maps can now be published in Microsoft XPS format.

Cadcorp has also paid attention to further improving theinteroperability and productivity of SIS. All products in the Cadcorp SISfamily are now available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions: to the clearbenefit of high specification server-based systems. Performance andreliability will be improved through the inclusion of a Master/Slave option forthe web engine GeognoSIS. The new release includes a ‘plug-in’ for SafeSoftware’s Feature Manipulation Engine (FME). There is support for raster inPostGIS and SQLite databases. Map drawing performance has been improved throughthe use of hardware accelerated graphics. Cadcorp is also delivering a metadatamanagement application at no additional charge.

Cadcorp has introduced a number of new web products to themarket. These include off-the-shelf applications for sharing geographic informationboth within an organisation (Web Map Viewer & Editor), and with the generalpublic (Web Map Layers). The company has also responded to the growing demandfor web mapping applications that don’t require an extensive range ofgeo-processing capabilities, and priced two new products - GeognoSIS Expressand Web Map Express - accordingly.

“We believe SIS 7.1 offers something for all types of GISusers”, said Mike O’Neil, CEO, Cadcorp. “Those who use GIS most intensivelywill benefit from the productivity improvements brought about by the new userinterface. All users will benefit from the wider distribution of spatial datathat our web products support. Developers who need to deploy web mapping as acomponent of larger applications will benefit from the simplicity andvalue-for-money of our Express product range. Their web mapping applicationscan now have the look and feel of the most widely-deployed hosted web-mappingsolutions, without being dependent on a particular data set.”