# Maps are cool. These maps are Double Plus Extra Cool. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 14, 2004, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maps-are-cool-these-maps-are-double-plus-extra-cool/269252 "2004-10-14T19:36:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maps-are-cool-these-maps-are-double-plus-extra-cool/269252/1 "2004-10-14T19:36:41Z")
I am something of a map geek. I can spend hours poring over maps. Occasionally I’ll even grab a map and actually go outside and use it too. :o Hence I am extra chuffed with [Anquet Maps](http://www.anquet.co.uk/products.asp). For an admittedly large sum of money, you can get the whole country on detailed topo maps, and - here’s the cool bit - turn them into a 3-D landscape. Check out the screenshots on the link. In fact, that’s not the coolest bit - they now have aerial photo coverage of most of Britain too, so you can drape the photos over the 3-D landscape instead of the map, and “fly” around the whole damn country. It’s like having your own private jet 🆒 They don’t seem to have updated the screenshots to reflect this though, but it’s mind-bogglingly cool. Er, that’s it. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maps-are-cool-these-maps-are-double-plus-extra-cool/269252/2 "2004-10-14T19:37:55Z")
Oh - by “the whole country” I obviously meant Britain. The whole of the USA might need quite a bit of disk space at this kind of scale… ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maps-are-cool-these-maps-are-double-plus-extra-cool/269252/3 "2004-10-14T19:42:38Z")
Dammit! You draw me in, show me something fancy, the TAUNT ME FROM ENGLAND! Gimme a call when they have a Minnesota map. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maps-are-cool-these-maps-are-double-plus-extra-cool/269252/4 "2004-10-14T19:50:55Z")
> [@NurseCarmen](#): > > Dammit! You draw me in, show me something fancy, the TAUNT ME FROM ENGLAND! > > Gimme a call when they have a Minnesota map. Yeah, but, if I’m not mistaken, USGS maps are FREE to the great American taxpayer. We have to pay for our government maps, despite our taxes having been used to draw the damn things in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maps-are-cool-these-maps-are-double-plus-extra-cool/269252/5 "2004-10-14T20:06:23Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > USGS maps are FREE to the great American taxpayer. Yeah, but can we turn them into 3-D landscapes? Dang Brits. Dang Lend-lease destroyers. Dang BBC America. Dang toad in a hole and all that Brit stuff. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maps-are-cool-these-maps-are-double-plus-extra-cool/269252/6 "2004-10-14T20:14:00Z")
USGS maps aren’t free, that I know of. I’ve bought quads at USGS HQ for about 3 USD. Pretty reasonable, though. TOPO! makes the 3D digital topos for each state in the US, but at 100 USD a pop, I’m not likely to indulge. But I’m the opposite of an early adopter, I’m the guy who waits till it’s at the point-of-purchase display for a buck… ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maps-are-cool-these-maps-are-double-plus-extra-cool/269252/7 "2004-10-14T20:22:16Z")
Hey, if you want to have a real 3D mapping hootenanny and have broadband go to [Keyhole.com](http://www.keyhole.com/index.php) and download their demo. It’s incredible. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maps-are-cool-these-maps-are-double-plus-extra-cool/269252/8 "2004-10-14T20:25:03Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > I am something of a map geek. I can spend hours poring over maps. Occasionally I’ll even grab a map and actually go outside and use it too. :o > > Hence I am extra chuffed with [Anquet Maps](http://www.anquet.co.uk/products.asp). For an admittedly large sum of money, you can get the whole country on detailed topo maps, and - here’s the cool bit - turn them into a 3-D landscape. Check out the screenshots on the link. > > In fact, that’s not the coolest bit - they now have aerial photo coverage of most of Britain too, so you can drape the photos over the 3-D landscape instead of the map, and “fly” around the whole damn country. It’s like having your own private jet 🆒 They don’t seem to have updated the screenshots to reflect this though, but it’s mind-bogglingly cool. > > Er, that’s it. We have a topo of the bottom of Lake Washington on the ceiling in my glass studio. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maps-are-cool-these-maps-are-double-plus-extra-cool/269252/9 "2004-10-14T20:55:36Z")
Excellent. This should make my invasion of England exceedingly easy. Thank you and have a nice day. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maps-are-cool-these-maps-are-double-plus-extra-cool/269252/10 "2004-10-14T20:59:35Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > Excellent. > > This should make my invasion of England exceedingly easy. > > Thank you and have a nice day. Well, I for one welcome our stripey equine overlords. ---
**Author:** ![Kymodoce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8797f3/32.png) [@Kymodoce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kymodoce)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maps-are-cool-these-maps-are-double-plus-extra-cool/269252/11 "2004-10-14T21:38:38Z")
Speaking as one who has the whole Anquet map collection on my work PC, I would just like to say… ha! I shan’t be letting Zebras buy it off me, but I welcome bids from…oh…mutant mice for instance . ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maps-are-cool-these-maps-are-double-plus-extra-cool/269252/12 "2004-10-14T22:25:02Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > This should make my invasion of England exceedingly easy. Not as easy as you might think. Your invading hordes could easily be felled by the flu, having been unable to get their flu shots this year. It’s all a big Limey plot. Best friends indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Omphaloskeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bcef8e/32.png) [@Omphaloskeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omphaloskeptic)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maps-are-cool-these-maps-are-double-plus-extra-cool/269252/13 "2004-10-14T22:58:27Z")
I have the National Geographic TOPO! US series (1:100000 scale, covering the whole US, on 17 CDs), which is pretty nice but not quite detailed enough for hiking. I wish their 1:24000 series weren’t so expensive. Can anyone recommend other mapping programs for US topo maps? DeLorme has a version ([Topo USA](http://delorme.com/topousa/default.asp)) that does the 3d projections, but I don’t know what map scale comes on the CD. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maps-are-cool-these-maps-are-double-plus-extra-cool/269252/14 "2004-10-14T23:01:56Z")
I get to help **make maps** every day. I work for the Tennessee Department of Transportation. 😛 I hear your teeth grinding in envy, as I type. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maps-are-cool-these-maps-are-double-plus-extra-cool/269252/15 "2004-10-15T00:49:42Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > Excellent. > > This should make my invasion of England exceedingly easy. > > Thank you and have a nice day. Nah - there was always a cunning plan to get round that - merely turn the road signposts round the wrong way. ANyway - they’d make **Zebra** s lie down on busy streets and be walked upon. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maps-are-cool-these-maps-are-double-plus-extra-cool/269252/16 "2004-10-15T02:13:59Z")
> [@laina\_f](#): > > Not as easy as you might think. Your invading hordes could easily be felled by the flu, having been unable to get their flu shots this year. > It’s all a big Limey plot. > Best friends indeed. Flu shot shortage on account of some limey plot? M16 been a little busy, huh? Well, we shall fight fire with fire…:::loading trebuchet::::Sending over TACO BELL and Pauly Shore! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! Take That Tony Blair! ---
**Author:** ![Danalan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@Danalan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danalan)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maps-are-cool-these-maps-are-double-plus-extra-cool/269252/17 "2004-10-15T02:24:02Z")
[NASA’s World Wind](http://learn.arc.nasa.gov/worldwind/features.html) system looks pretty cool. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maps-are-cool-these-maps-are-double-plus-extra-cool/269252/18 "2004-10-15T11:24:18Z")
I ordered another chunk of maps and they arrived yesterday. Very cool. The Virtual Landscape thing works really well - you can find pictures taken in the hills on Google Images and work out exactly where they were taken by setting the viewpoint on the ground and moving around. They match incredibly well. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maps-are-cool-these-maps-are-double-plus-extra-cool/269252/19 "2004-10-15T12:21:33Z")
Hey **An Arky** , the US Forest Service publishes _awesome maps_ for about $4.00 a pop. I left mine at work, but there better’n the USGS topo maps. They update 'em about every couple of years or so, and have BLM and Nat’l Forest land colored so you can tell the difference. I don’t know if they have any for Minnesota, but I’ll check on the way back from work today. Tripler Trust me, for $4.00, they’re an absolute steal! ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maps-are-cool-these-maps-are-double-plus-extra-cool/269252/20 "2004-10-15T13:15:58Z")
> [@An Arky](#): > > USGS maps aren’t free, that I know of. I’ve bought quads at USGS HQ for about 3 USD. Pretty reasonable, though. Hmm, maybe I had it wrong, but I thought that the actual map _information_ was free, even if you have to pay for the printed map (which is fair enough). Here in the UK, though, the Ordnace Survey (who make the maps) jump exceedingly hard and fast on any perceived copyright violation. Even people who post hand-drawn sketch maps on their websites get asked (firmly) to take them down if the OS believes that they were based on their maps. Of course, there _are_ ways to get round this… either by basing your maps on maps older than 50 years, which are out of copyright, or, if you’re really hardcore, walking the paths and roads with a GPS unit and using the tracklogs to create your map… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maps-are-cool-these-maps-are-double-plus-extra-cool/269252.md?page=2)