Tracks4Africa Namibia Karte

Hallo

Tracks4Africa arbeitet daran eine Papierkarte von Namibia zu erstellen. Sie haben mich gebeten eine Vorabversion der Karte fürs Forum einzubauen. Die Idee ist, dass Ihr die Karte mal begutachten und Euer Feedback noch einbringen könnt.
Gebt doch, wenn Ihr könnt, Euro Kommentare und Verbesserungsvorschläge in Englisch ab. So dass die T4A Leute diese auch verstehen.

Hier die erste Seite der Karte:
T4A Namibia

Sonnige und warme Grüsse aus Swakopmund
Chrigu

Hi Chrigu,

Link funktioniert bei mir im Firefox und IE leider nicht...

Sonnige Grüße
Christian

Hallo Christian

ich habe die URL eben angepasst. Sollte nun funktionieren.

Gruss Chrigu

1a, Danke!

Hi Chrigu,

hast Du mehr Informationen zu der Karte, z.B. wird es eine Rückseite (z.B. mit Karten der größeren Städte) geben?

Sollen wir unsere Kommentare hier auf Englisch abgeben oder T4A direkt anmailen?

Sonnige Grüße
Christian

Kommentare hier auf Englisch. Andre wird Fragen dann auch hier beantworten.

Hallo, Chrigu and andere Karteninteressenten,
Ich habe mir die Probeversion der Papierkarte angesehen. Gut und brauchbar.
Aber ich sehe, von graphischen Einzelheiten abgesehen, keinen Unterschied zur Namibiakarte von Uwe Jäschke; was hier angeboten wird, gibt es schon. Seit einem Jahr benutze ich diese Karte, sie ist sehr zuverlässig und informativ. Sie hat nur einen Nachteil: sie ist in Europa nicht erhältlich (auch nicht im namibiana buchdepot) - in Namibia habe ich sie schon an vielen Tankstellen gesehen.
Ich habe mein Exemplar als Jahresgabe eines nam. Fördervereins erhalten und mir die neueste Ausgabe (wird jährlich auf den neuesten Stand gebracht) in Namibia gekauft.
Es wäre verdienstvoll, wenn jemand, der dazu Zugang hat, einen Posten aufkaufen und in CH/D/A vertreiben könnte.
Der Herausgeber hat folgende Adresse:
jaeschke@htw-dresden.de
Viele Grüße!
Wolff-Rüdiger

First impression:

Positive
+ Very detailed
+ General layout

Negative
- Very detailed (might be outdated soon, e.g. accommodation)
- no new road numbers (e.g. M-Roads)
- Names sometimes wrong (Spitzkuppe, Ai-Ais NP)
- regional boundaries missing
- some public roads missing
- Consistence of place names (always official, or always in English or always in German or or or - no mix!)

Questions
1) Backside existent (what information, e.g. city maps)?
2) Some private nature reserves / conservencies shown, many not, why?
3) As the map is obviously based on T4A data, if you are targeting "normal" tourists for the paper version, you must include information that are originally already missing in the T4A data. An incomplete map is pretty useless!

Kind regards
Christian

I hope / assume that this map is only a pre-alpha version...

The map shows neither distances nor eta's. How may one do a trip planning or travel with such a tool? It's useless for a typical appliance but may decorate an empty office wall.

Christian has already mentioned other shortcomings:

- several inconsistencies
- missing town maps
- missing detail maps for national parks and special areas (e. q. Kaoko-Field)

Other already existing maps provide much more value.

Sorry for this harsh statement. But I know: T4A can do it -much- better. The best example is the Botswana Map.

Cheers

Ulli

Ich würde auch Deutsch verstehen.
W.

Hello, Chrigu, Christian,
At present the map is in one piece, but unfortunately we will have to cut it up into several pieces, to fit on a sheet of paper 1000mm x 1200 mm approx. We will print Southern Namibia (Noordoewer to well N of Windhoek on one side, and Northern Namibia plus Caprivi (Kunene to well South of Windhoek) on the other side. Hence there will be a healthy overlap around Windhoek. We will use Polyart synthetic non-tear and waterfriendly 'paper' as print medium.
It is stressed that this map is NOT READY YET, distances and travel times will be added, as well as detail maps of Windhoek and Swakopmund.
We would like the forum to point out inconsistencies and omissions BEFORE we go to the printers, ensuring the best possible first print run of the map. We are aware that several names have Umlauts missing. This will be addressed.
Specifically we would like to receive feed-back on the road numbers, as we are aware that different numbering systems are in use. (C-roads also have M numbers; the M-numbers are there, but should perhaps be more prominent.)
Another issue is that of the border posts. Information is ambiguous to say the least. We welcome all information on the names and opening hours (Namibia time) of all border crossings.
The intention is to update this map every 12-18 months ensuring up-to-date information on lodging, fuel stations etc. etc.
Again, this is NOT a final product, the way the Botswana map was presented to this forum. A new, revised and updated edition of the Botswana map is also on its way.
andre boessenkool

Hi Andre,

It is stressed that this map is NOT READY YET, distances and travel times will be added, as well as detail maps of Windhoek and Swakopmund.

Great, where was is stressed out? Even within the 'all knowing' T4A discussion group the question about the missing distances and travel time was raised.

I have no problem with reviewing a pre-release as long it is communicated which parts are still missing or are under work -otherwise it's a waste of time for everybody.

Cheers

Ulli

Dear Andre,

correct and frequently updated border times can be found here:
http://www.map-of-namibia.com/borderpost-maps.html

You could also double-check the correct names with this list on Wikipedia (however, in German): http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namibische_Grenz%C3%BCberg%C3%A4nge_in_die_Nachbarstaaten

Kind regards
Christian

Thank you Christian for those links! They are very useful!
Andre

Thanks Ulli for your reaction! Indeed it is difficult to judge an unfinished product. It is just as difficult for me to list all the missing items which this Pre-Beta version is still lacking. We just thought we'll give you and the forum a sneak preview of what is coming and at the same time we'd welcome any suggestions for obvious omissions/errors. Distances and driving times are still missing and we are working on them. It would, however, be helpful if you and the forum could tell us what is wrong (or not liked) in what IS ALREADY THERE. In the meantime I understand your unease with this course of action. It is a new phenomenon to have a product quality controlled while it still is not born yet. 😉
Regards, andre

Christian, perhaps you can help me. The website about the border crossings is confusing:

Omahenene/Cuangar border. Can this be right? Cuangar is opposite Nkurenkuru and Omahenene is just east of Ruacana.

Ruacana/Calueque is fine, but I'd say it should also be Omahenene/Calueque and then Nkurenkuru/Cuangar with the ferry across the Okavango? Or do I have it all wrong?

Appreciate your help!
andre

Hi Andre

Nice map and very detailed. There are many signs (bed in blue: lodge or tent in green .....) It would be helpful to mark the signs with e. g. numbers on the map and then add a directory of the names of all those places, either printed on the map or as an additional small booklet (maybe with phone and/or e-mail). For this, you could charge a higher price and differentiate your offer from others.

Regards

Thomas

Hallo Thomas

Deine Idee hat T4A schon vor einer Weile aufgenommen. Ich habe mich eben versichert dass immer noch daran gearbeitet wird. Hier das Mail von Johann:

Yes, we are working on the book. It will include:

* Map ref. – e.g. A3 which points you to grid reference on paper map
* Name of listing = name on GPS, so you can search
* Book is divided per Travel Region and Town/Park for lookup
* Contact details, rates and activities/attractions will be included
* Padkos number on listing for reference to Padkos.co.za

Note that not all accommodation can be shown on the paper map, so we have decided not to print a number on the paper map, but rather the name where applicable. Name can be searched in Mapsource, GPS and lookup in book.

Herzliche Grüsse
Chrigu

Hallo Chirgu,
das ist sicherlich eine interessante Karte.
Mit erstaunen fallen mir einige Details auf - so das Lodge Symbol u. a. bei Mirabib als auch an der Blutkuppe. Sollten dort schon "Bettenunterkünfte" entstanden sein ?
Grüße
Oliver