ABOUT THE SOFTWARE SERIES

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Submitted by madmariner on Tue, 10/02/2007 - 22:36.

When Mad Mariner's editors decided to take on navigation software, we had some strong ideas about how to do it. We wanted a primer that explained electronic charting in depth. We wanted honest reviews that focused on one or two pieces of software, not the usual examine-everything-at-once approach. And we wanted to look at every major offering on the market.

The goal was to assemble a definitive body of work that would really help boaters make decisions. The problem was how to find an expert crazy enough to take on a 12-part series.

As it turned out, we found two.

Mark and Diana Doyle–veteran cruisers, captains and authors of the Managing the Waterway guide series–did not flinch when we raised the idea. The pair had penned a white paper that explained computer-based navigation with impressive depth and clarity. We wanted them to adapt it for our website–then to keep writing.

The result is the weekly series Hard Facts on Software that begins today with a primer based on their white paper. In coming weeks, the series will review software such as CARIS Easy View, SeaClear II, MacENC, NavimaQ, Fugawi Marine ENC, Coastal Explorer, Nobeltec VNS, Raytech RNS, Maptech Chart Navigator Pro, Nobeltec Admiral and Furuno MaxSea.

The authors have been working for weeks, loading the packages straight from the box, testing them thoroughly and reporting their findings. Was it easy to install? Was the interface confusing? Did it deliver on its promises? Was it stable? When the work is done, our hope is that our readers will have a solid source of information to help navigate the navigation software.

Hard Facts on Software Series Page

The Series To Date:

Part One: Hard Facts on Software

Part Two: Getting Started With Electronic Charts

Part Three: Free Navigation Software Options

Part Four: Software Options for Mac

Part Five: Fugawi Marine ENC

Part Six: Rose Point's Coastal Explorer

Part Seven: Nobeltec VNS

Part Eight: Raymarine's RayTech RNS 6.0

Part Nine: Maptech's Chart Navigator Pro

Part Ten: TIKI Navigator Pro