My inept method of finding you all the latest news on Manifold – Google search – brought up an interesting Sponsored Link: Manifold Too Limiting?, which takes you to the ThinkGeo website that pitches its Map Suite software as an alternative to Manifold. This is the first occasion I have seen a competitor using the better than Manifold pitch in their promotion. I have no knowledge of Map Suite, I’d welcome any comments from users, but when other GIS companies use Manifold as a comparative to their own software I see that as a good thing for Manifold.
I usually make an effort to let clients and colleagues know I use Manifold and have seen a significant increase in awareness and use of the product over the last couple of years, but that’s my own microcosm. I think a lot of us Manifold users (I’m making assumptions of course) like to be reassured that Manifold is taking a prominent place in the GIS market and look for signs out with our own personal experience to see evidence of this.
As for Map Suite – I had quick look at the product features, which left me non-plussed; I guess I could try the 60-day demo, but seeing as I’m more than happy with my current GIS package, I’m not willing to put in the effort. That’s not to say it doesn’t work for others, the user forum looks fairly active, and is within your budget.
A 60 day trial? It’s already better than Manifold.
ThinkGeo is pushing the developer side of things. While I wouldn’t say the product is better as an overall GIS tool, it is certainly better from a developer perspective. If you need basic to normal GIS functionality, ThinkGeo offers a good .NET solution. It is also so much easier to deploy. This is something that Manifold simply does not understand from a developer perspective. Manifold has a very difficult deployment mechanism, which works for them, but not for developers. (of course we will most certainly hear otherwise from Dimitri later today….)
I spent months taking a look at Manifold, SharpMap, ThinkGeo, Tatuk, and a number of other solutions. I ultimately gave up and spent a month developing my own .net solution. The other products were either too expensive or too difficult to deploy.
I still think this market is ripe for a cost effective, easy to deploy, and moderately robust solution. None of the vendors have it right at the moment.
Thanks for the comments RockTrout. I did mean to mention that Map Suite was more aimed at the developer. I’m not into that side of things so I won’t comment on that, but if what you say is true then competition in this area is good for Manifold and others to improve what they offer.
better than Manifold… 60 days it´s a good time to see that
Maybe Manifol must tu change his crazy way to sale
better price?
Map Suite Desktop , $4,995
I’m not going to wheel out the arguements for and against demos, there’s plenty of discussion of that elsewhere, but you still have the 30-day money back guarantee:
http://www.manifold.net/admin/trial.shtml
They do the same thing if you google for SharpMap, and have done so for quite a long time. Personally I don’t like people leeching of other people’s products, especially considering the spin they take on these ads.
Earch www server cost – 1000 $ (Mani max 225 $)
No desktop at all (build yourself?)
Bot from developer point – Manifold shuold look into it.
MapSuite are old esri mapobjects, but in nowdays fashion.