Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

I'm on the way toward releasing Maemo Mapper v2.0. Maemo Mapper v2.0 is going to represent a major shift in the paradigm I've been using up to this point, mostly as a reaction to the release of the N800. The focus with the 770 was very much on performance, due to the limitations of the hardware. The focus in Maemo Mapper v2.0 will be on features and aesthetics, including drag-panning, heading-based view rotation, and maybe even some transparency or anti-aliasing. Heck, I'll even be testing the feasability of implementing a "perspective" view, allowing you to see more of the map in front of you.

By popular request, I will also be aiming for cross-platform compatibility in hopes of a Windows (or at least x86) release, so you can run Maemo Mapper on your laptop at any resolution you wish. (For that reason, I am even considering renaming or forking the project. Any ideas? Not GpsDrive. :))

One of the big changes will be to use a database cache instead of a file system cache, to address the internal fragmentation of thousands of small files eating away at the free space of memory cards. Before I go further in the development of this particular new feature, I wanted to get some opinions about how to introduce it.

Those of you with "extensive" map caches may not appreciate having to re-download the maps that they've downloaded. I'm planning to provide a command-line utility to "convert" a file system cache to the new database cache format. Would you prefer that I also continue to allow Maemo Mapper to work with a file system cache? I can set it up so that each repository can be switched independently between a file system cache or a database cache. (It would complicate the code and reduce performance slightly.)

I guess my real question is this: does anyone see any value in maintaining the old file-system-based map cache? The only benefit I see is being able to browse through the individual map files, deleting or adding files as you see fit. The file system hierarchy is too complex for this, though, and if you're savvy enough to sort it out, you're probably savvy enough to mess with a database cache directly. Are there other, more relevant reasons to maintain backward compatibility with file system map caches?

Also, I'm open to other ideas to implement in v2.0, but keep in mind that I'm only one man, and my plans for v2.0 are already taking up a lot of my spare time. Hopefully, I'll find the time to document some of these plans in the Garage, but until then, feel free to post suggestions to this thread or the Feature Request section of the Maemo Mapper Garage Tracker.

Note: I will still, always be releasing every new version of Maemo Mapper for the 770, as well as for the N800. Some of the newer features may not run as well under particular conditions, or may require the use of swap, but it will ALWAYS be runnable (and usable) on the 770. I still own my 770, and I want to be able to run Maemo Mapper on it, too.

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

Gnuite, your posting carries considerable weight among Nokia tablet users, since maemo-mapper appears to me to be, along with FBReader, the slickest and most mature application running on either the N770 and N800. My first reaction is that you should also make the same posting to the maemo-users@maemo.org list.

My second reaction is that, in my experience, real-time navigation/mapping software developers experience a more substantial evolution of their package's paradigm than developers of more conventional software. In other words, don't fight change but rather welcome it as a natural process.

Embarking on a cross-platform effort is not for the faint of heart. My impulse is to urge you to first find a like-minded confederate to "own" that porting job. You have to weigh the risk of burnout (from taking on too much yourself) against the risk of a crappy port due to a too-loosely-coupled collaboration.

At any rate, I think you shouldn't worry about changes in the cache structure; I think it's too transitory for any user to seriously hack.

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

Good to hear :)

Also, I don't see any reason to keep the old image caching mechanism. Perspective view (would require a gps I suppose) sounds like a great idea.

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

You should not be so modest when naming the software. I vote for "GPSnuite", although I'm not sure how to pronounce it.

Howard

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

My stupid suggestion for a name is MaeMapper - it does indeed look stupid when written down but, pronounced "mymapper" just might work. And, it would be clear that it's a close relative to the original... ouch. Nevermind. In any case, I admire your work on the software and also the active community here.

Sorry, my first post to this forum, am expecting to get my N800 tomorrow and intending to use it for navigation... still a bit uncertain whether I should just go ahead and buy the Navicore package from Nokia, as I need a GPS receiver in any case. Well.

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

It's a great application..but with the inroads of navicore with connection independent functionality..is there a reason to continue on this path..maemo mapper was great..but with this availability of a 3rd party program..hmmm..I don't know. Not sure efforts shouldn't be directed somewhere else

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

Well, unless navicore is free and open source I see quite a few reasons to continue. Competition is good and any time you have a single choice it's not the best situation, whether it be in regards to features or bugs. Besides, MM is quite capable for a from-scratch program for the platform. I've used it many times, and if nothing else a map with a dot "You Are Here" and breadcrumb trail is invaluable.

As far as the RFC I would definitely move away from the file/directory-based structure. If nothing else it would make it easier to a copy a single DB file (i.e. if you went with SQLite) than a million tiny ones. I would also be curious to see which DB engine you might choose since obviously it can't be too big, but performance might be marginal for some of the simplest ones.

Keep up the great work!
Larry

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

Great work!
Can you get the n800 to use n95 gps data? I would lov if nokia or somebody got that going, n series devices need tto sing together!

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

Thanks for your work so far. I do not agree with those who think that you should stop your work because of Navicore.

We'll keep waiting for the 2.0 version, most of all (I'm talking about me now) because of the map rotating feature (tough perspective will be a very interesting one, too :D )

Bye, Omar

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

HI Gnuite,

Your v2 sounds marvellous ;)
It would also be nice to allow an integration with a contact database (via plugin I suppose) It would allow to store GPS coordinate for contacts and a "go to contact" functionnality ...
What do you think ?
Thanks for the great work ...
Fred