New User - What to start with: Unix or Windows

[Jeff McKenna]

For a new user here's what I recommend:

a) try styling the MapServer map (called a .map file) right in ArcGIS with the Amein! extension: http://sourceforge.net/projects/avein/

If you have ArcView 3.x use the GIX export tool (http://gix.sourceforge.net/) to export your View as a .map file.

Otherwise you will be styling your data in a text editor (most of us do that but it's not easy for a beginner)

b) If you're on Windows, use MS4W (http://www.maptools.org/ms4w) - it will get you going easy.

jeff



>  -------Original Message-------
>  From: Maggie Ma <id_maggie at YAHOO.COM>
>  Subject: [UMN_MAPSERVER-USERS] New User - What to start with: Unix or Windows
>  Sent: 21 Jan '06 15:59
>  
>  Dear all,
>  
>  I am a new user of MapServer. I have been using ArcGIS desktop for a few
>  years. Now I want to do some online mapping. I just start to look into
>  MapServer. And I need your input on whether I should start with Unix or
>  Windows MapServer.
>  
>  The concern is to do it right/the best from the very beginning. I am not
>  afraid of learning Linux/Unix. I know some basics. But since I have always
>  been working with ArcGIS under Windows, I want to make sure that it worths
>  it to switch. If it wont make much difference then I will just stay with
>  Windows.
>  
>  So shall I go : Windows MapServer + Windows ArcGIS or Linux MapServer +
>  Linux ArcGIS or even Linux MapServer + Windows ArcGIS?
>  
>  What's the best way to start?
>  
>  Thank you very much in advance for any suggestions and thoughts!
>  
>  Maggie
>  
>