<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><BR><DIV><DIV>On 30-Jul-06, at 9:29 PM, Bob Basques wrote:</DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; ">I think the route to go with something like this, is NOT to use a specific portable OS, but rather concentrate on using a Micro PC of some sort (the OQO with Linux, comes to mind) and use the same old tools we've been using for everything else. My database of choice for the storage, at least for points, would be MYSQL, much lower overhead for storage and retrieval. The Mapping side is a different story, but speed and simplicity would be the order of the day. While there's no reason a Spatial database couldn't be used for the mapping, I would suspect that the management of the mapping data might be easier with static SHP files in the near term. Although using a Regular PC OS would help with database up keep in the syncing process as well.</SPAN></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR><DIV>I agree, for the mostpart the specialised portable OS's were somewhat invented to subvert hardware limitations. Now, with flash/SD memory and mobile PC chip architecture, I think there is less of a barrier.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>re: light databases, the aptly named SQLite is worthy of consideration. Storing simple Well Known Text representations of geometry in a SQLite db would be an easy way to incorporate open data standards.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Tyler</DIV></BODY></HTML>