FREE PRODUCTS
  TNTmips Free
  TNTatlas

  MI/X
  FAQ

The following are some of the comments to MicroImages during the last quarter exactly as written except for the [edit] alterations in [brackets] to keep them anonymous. Obviously many more comments are received by MicroImages by voice and cannot be accurately reproduced here. Please note that these quotations are not edited from their original form in spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.

A negative response was received during the quarter and is not included. It was to the effect that the client is unhappy that they had a subscription for TNTmips through V5.00, considering the lack of new GIS and IPS features introduced during the previous year. Clearly the perception of the value of the new features added quarterly is related to the individual requirements of each client.

A second negative response was received concerning a problem with a specific unfulfilled request for software support. MicroImages' support team works hard to provide software support promptly, handling over 100 inquires each week, but, sometimes things get lost around here just as in your office.

From a South American client on 31 July 1995. (using V5.00)

"As of this morning, [a company] is connected to the Internet! Please let me know if there is a version of the TNT editor more recent than that on the 5.0 release CD, available on tnt.microimages.com. I'd like to use it with my digitizer, those icons are marvelous!"

"Yesterday I used the manual entry mode for lines, for the first time. It saved me a lot of extra work, as previously I would draw polygons using a GEOSOFT function, then convert to dxf, then import into TNT, then have to erase all the intermediate files. Thanks!"

From a South African client on 11 August 1995. (using V5.00)

"The program I wrote [for use with TNTsdk] seems to be working well and is giving meaningful results. If possible I would like to add a feature that labels the triangles that I'm drawing in the vector object. In other words, I would like the triangles to be numbered, on screen, for identification purposes."

"Could you please suggest a way of doing this."

[an example snippet of C code was supplied in response]

From a Slovakian client on 18 August 1995. (using V5.10)

"I congratulate MicroImages for pyramiding. I didn't believe my eyes that SPOT raster (70 MB) was displayed in 3 seconds."

From an international representative on 11 August 1995. (using V5.10)

"I feel that they are about to place an order for TNTmips. They were very impressed with the trial and are promoting the advantages of TNTmips over ArcInfo. Generally, there is a very positive attitude to TNTmips within the [a nation] geophysical area. The TNTmips user in [mining company A] is strongly promoting TNTmips, even in other companies. Last week I received a referral from a [mining company B] who were told by [company A] that TNTmips was "the greatest thing since sliced bread". Also the [a national organization] mentioned TNTmips in a [their Journal] recently as a capable system along with ArcInfo."

From an international representative on 31 August 1995. (using V5.10)

"The people of [a client site] are working with TNTmips on the Sun and things are going good. You will be happy to hear this: on that workstation (a Sun Sparc 2), prior to the upgrade to the last Solaris, they had SynerGIS (a GIS software you may know). They used it with their ArcInfo data. With the upgrade of OS they delete SynerGIS and other packages and they are using now TNTmips! They will continue to use their ArcInfo PC's to digitize and to generate the data. [A client] learned TNTmips on his own quickly and very enthusiastic about it.

[It's about time ArcInfo began to feed data into TNTmips, after all we and others have fed them for years. It is also interesting to note that someone who already had experience in another complex GIS was able to make a fast switch. Remember back when you learned your first word processor or complex editor, probably your first serious computer use? It took quite a bit of time and frustration. But, when you switched to another brand it was quite easy. By then you knew how a word processor was set up and simply looked for the equivalent procedures in the new product.]

From an NAFTA reseller on 31 August 1995. (using V5.10)

"[A client] took special time to tell me that he was very pleased with the support provided by MicroImages in getting ready for this summer's processing. He wants to continue with TNTmips. ...

From a South America client's interoffice memo on 30 August 1995. (using V5.10)

"There are two routes by which TNTmips can be upgraded:"

"1) Annual subscription: cost $1000, includes 4 quarterly releases shipped by DHL."

"2) One-off upgrade to the latest version: cost-effective if you are upgrading from a very old version (max cost $940) but not if you upgrade more than once a year ($300 per quarter elapsed since license was purchased).

"When [a name] first purchased MIPS (the boss at the head office), it was felt that the second route was preferable; once it could be shown that a newer revision was required, a motivation would exist to upgrade."

"Now that TNTmips has been in continuous use in [a site] for some time, it has become clear that the upgrades released every quarter are required. Each release for the last 18 months has offered either a new necessary feature, or a time-saving modification. Thus it is considered desirable to pay the annual subscription at this time; there is no commitment to subscribe again next year."

... ... ... ... ...

"As a spin-off to the change to our subscriber status, the good relationship already established with MicroImages would be further enhanced, resulting in even closer attention being paid to our requests and suggestions for future developments."

From a recent letter received from an international location. (not currently a client)

"For 10 years I have been working in the field of geographical information systems. For 3 years now I have been using TNTmips (first MIPS) in my working field of environmental and geotechnical engineering. As well as TNTmips I have experience with several other GIS systems. As part of my current position I am responsible for keeping abreast of the GIS market in order to advise my company on future GIS strategy."

"Further to my research I have come to the conclusion that no product is comparable to TNTmips; TNTmips offers excellent functionality for a realistic price."

From an international representative on 19 October 1995. (using V5.10)

"Today A1 size map was successfully printed out as was tested before (see attached). A0 will be tested and the result will be reported sometime. Original vector data (geology) was created by PC Arc/Info in [a country] and imported easily by TNTmips by Prepare/Import/Vector/ArcCoverage. I made a style object and assigned to the polygon (primary keyed in advance). This job is for checking of attributes inputted by PC Arc/Info. Why they choose TNTmips, not PC Arc/Info is that setting up the printing environment for PC Arc/Info was not easy. [A name] and his colleques were satisfied with TNTmips. So easy."

"To show a sample print-out I bought a Canon BJC-600 printer yesterday. BJC-600 was selected in TNTmips and could print out the attached two maps. Second map is same data for first, but backgrounded by DCW-PO [Digital Chart of the World-Political Outlines] data (projected by Lambert Azimuthal equal area)."

"TNTmips sites whom I showed these sample plotout showed same surprise for its nice quality and inexpensiveness of printer itself."

From an international representative on 22 October 1995. (using V5.10)

"I recently used TNTmips to convert scanned maps to vectors, I am very impressed with the efficiency of the system. I just did the automatic line following and then used the vector filter to dissolve tiny polygons, snap undershoots, and delete dangles and specs. I hadn't used the vector filter module before. TNTmips certainly provides professional consultants such as myself with a range of useful and specialized services to offer."

From a FAX from a French client on 25 October 1995. (using V5.10)

"We have installed TNTmips 5.1 in our Dec Alpha Workstation. It's running well."

[This client is multiplatform oriented and uses TNTmips on PCs as well]

Extracted from a short article in Paydirt Magazine published in Australia for mining professionals.

"The most accessible of the new generation GIS are called Desktop Mapping packages. MapInfo, Arcview and MapMaker are examples of this type of system. These user-friendly programs run under Microsoft Windows and share information with other Windows programs such as spreadsheets, word processors and presentation packages. Most DeskTop GIS can be learned quickly by someone familiar with other Windows programs. The value of the DeskTop systems is that they provide a means for integrating, displaying and printing maps, survey data and other geological information. Their principle limitation is their inability to perform the sophisticated data processing that is often required to build a GIS database from scratch."

"At a higher level of complexity, even professional GIS systems are becoming cheaper, more powerful and far easier to use. The new generation professional GIS is epitomized by the TNTmips system. GIS means data integration and TNTmips integrated all types of geological information with alacrity. This package combines a fully functional GIS with a complete Image Processing System, in addition to 3D CAD and relational database management. The image processing functions include many that were previously found only in specialized geophysical packages including the ability to interactively enhance 32 bit geophysical images in a variety of color models. The system runs on IBM compatible PCs and Macintosh computers as well as most UNIX workstations. The new generation GIS ignore traditional distinctions between GIS, CAD and Image Processing, concentrating instead on providing the full range of spatial processing functionality."

From a FAX from a beta test site on 21 November 1995. (using V5.20 beta)

"Display and interface processes are much faster than before (2-3 times faster, I believe). This makes RGBB a useful option"

"Extra icons under Display 2-D ... are quite useful."

"The Hide/Unhide Icon on Layer control is great for displaying one layer in a group of layers (turn on then off to do this)."