Do you know your application icons?
It is probably reasonable to suggest that most designers
are Mac-based and most GIS-users
are PC-based. If like me, you need to use tools across the board, from GIS to design, what options do you really have if you want to work on a Mac?
- Illustrator
Can be extended further with plug-ins; Avenza MAPublisher provides GIS capabilities; and Telegraphics for path and area measurement. - Photoshop
Can be extended further with plug-ins. Avenza Geographic Imager provides [raster] spatial imagery tools, including support for GeoTIFFs and DEMs. - DrawIt
DrawIt is a vector editing application with support for bitmap-like image filters. Very neat. - Inkscape
An open-source, but highly capable vector illustration tool. Runs on the X11 (X Window System) which is an optional install on all new Macs. - Lineform
A low-cost, but powerful little vector drawing package that makes the most of the Mac’s graphics capabilities. - Intaglio
A traditional-style Mac drawing tool. - Ortelius
Designed purely as a map illustration tool, it comes with some unique tools and capabilities. Imports ESRI shapefiles. A ‘Pro’ version will be released in the future with enhanced GIS capabilities. Exports layered PDFs, so can also be used as part of a workflow with other applications. - Cartographica
A Mac-only dedicated GIS application. Can export layered PDFs as part of workflow with other applications. - uDig GIS
An open-source desktop GIS application. Is extendable with plug-ins. Steeper learning curve involved. - iMap
A data visualisation tool for latitude/longitude data types. - Google Earth
Everybody must have used this at some point. Brilliant. The Pro version adds support for GIS data import, measurement tools, and of course the creation of 3D environments.
