Since the beginning of creation, man has designed maps to help identify the space we occupy. From the map of Lewis and Clark pencil-sketch of the mountain road to sophisticated graphics Jacques Cousteau on the sea floor, creating maps of maximum precision has been a constant pursuit. Even with the recent explosion of inexpensive computing and the availability of public mapping data grow, making the current map has been extended to ordinary PC users. This is a collection of one hundred simple - and mostly free - techniques available to developers and power users who want draw digital maps or visualize geographic data. Authors Schuyler Erle, Rich Gibson and Jo Walsh do more than just illuminate the basic concepts of location and cartography, they walk you through the process one step at a time. Mapping Hacks shows you where to find the best sources of geographic data, and then how to integrate the data into your own maps. This comprehensive resource also shows you how to interpret and manipulate cartographic data weight, and how to incorporate personal photo galleries into your maps.