Geomatika for All

I just realized on this topic when i remember on one wise words suggesting to 'say it with flower' to show our feeling to somebody. On GIS, we can use this wise words too, but not to show feeling to someone, but to show places or directions. We can show people about places or directions by using maps. So, it will become 'say places with maps' or 'say directions with maps' or just 'say it with map'. Why map (is so important) ? What is a map anyway ? Does anybody can make a map ? How to use it ? When we should use a map ? I think those several questions contain 5W already: what, who, how, when, and why. May be to answer those questions will take pages, so i will post on this topic on several posting whenever it worthy. Everybody needs map. Everybody needs direction to go from one place to others. People need direction to go from their houses to the workplaces, as well as they need direction when to go to school dropping by their children. Children ? oh yes, children also need a map, and also their mothers, sisters, brothers, teachers, and so on. Wow, everybody needs a map ! Everybody needs a map, it is true. But there are different kind of maps to know why some people never use a real map, i mean a hardcopy written (printed) or even digital map. Some people never use (printed or digital) maps to go to places or directions. It is because of what we call 'mental map'. It means that the map is kept in mind, they memorize it. They need a map, but not the printed nor digital one, but they comfort and supplied by their mental map or the map that is kept by their brains. Usually, people need map for the first time to go to places, and after traveling for several times -or even just once- on some places, they get known and familiar to the places and directions. This because of the human brains and the power of 'doing' or experimenting. But still, they need a map on their first travel or journey or trip in order not to get lost, or may be just to get arrived there faster and quicker. We can say that, map has multi functions. The first and the main function is to show places and direction. But there are another kind of map, we call it 'theme map'. A theme map usually show (focus or emphasize on) about something other than place or directions. A theme map showing about availability of a 'theme' on certain places. That theme could be anything. It could be about water pipe network, it could be the number of people on a certain places, it could be showing numerous ATM (Automated Teller Machine) in a city, etc. When we deal with this kind of a 'theme map', it is no need to talk about direction all the time, since it also talks about numbers and availability of something (that is theme) on a specific places / territory. Here are some example on theme maps: density map (showing people density on a certain place), watering map (about the availability of water pipe network), gprs map (about the availability of telecommunication network or gprs services), ATM map (about ATM availability), etc. So, when we talk about places or direction or numbers or availability of theme on certain places, why don't we use maps? Sometime, when we ask someone about places or directions, the answerer will show us direction using words like: please go straight until you get quarters then turn left, after walking for 200meters turn right, then walk straight to another quarter then turn left again, then …bla bla bla. It will be a fortune if there is no a (verbal) communication miss (gap) between the asker and the answerer. Imagine, if we have to show directions to foreigners who don't know our language very well, what should to be done ! there will be so many misunderstanding. Why map is so acceptable by people regardless on who they are, are they foreigners or fellow citizens ? Simple, it because a map contains of symbols. Symbols or pictures are more acceptable by people, since symbols are more easily understood. People understand more easily when they are able to draw it in mind. Imagine this: which one is more easily understood when we want to tell someone about computer, verbally or using picture. It will be the same when we talk about places or direction. With map we could draw as many as symbols we need. We could draw a box to represent an office building, and circle beside it to represent the restaurant near the office, or we can use other symbols as well. What we need is just to tell people about what the symbols are representing. It is believed that a map could help people to ease their life. Map is acceptable by people in the world, since it contains symbols or pictures that are somehow more comfortable than verbal language. So lets start ‘say it with map’ on our daily lives.