Pen Tablet vs. Mouse for digitizing sketches

[hewhocaves]

as an aside... i was talking today about the sad demise of the great mapmakers like Bernie Smeltzer. Yes, today's maps are much more professional and easier to manipulate digitally, but i honestly feel we've trading something intangible to get that.

oh well. I'm going to curl up with a good OLD book now

john

[cavemanjonny]

i honestly feel we've trading something intangible to get that.

Even though I wasn't around in the days before digital mapping was as popular as it seems to be these days, I agree with you. The Chattanooga Grotto had their 50th anniversary the other night and everyone brought out little bits of caving history, it was really amazing! Jim Wilbanks brought out his half of the very first piece of Blue Water rope ever produced. It was made while the very first order of their characteristic blue yarn was still on it's way, so the rope doesn't have the blue stripe. Too cool!

Buddy Lane also brought out his original map (the one he drafted by hand, not a copy) of Run to the Mill Cave. This was the version before they discovered and surveyed a big chunk of new cave. It was pretty amazing, compared to the way I am used to seeing mapping done. It was on mylar and at least 12 ft long. You could still see pencil here and there underneath the stuff he'd gone over in ink.

That hand-drawn precision and care really does add a lot that computers can't replicate, I agree.

[Martin Sluka]

That hand-drawn precision and care really does add a lot that computers can't replicate, I agree.

I absolutely agree with all of you.

But there is another problem - to have the documentation (map, etc.) of complicated system or karst area allways up to date. And this is THAT problem. Computer tools may help very much here.