I mostly use ArcGIS or (QGIS) and then export the image to adobe illustrator to make the map prettier!
As a complete open-source and/or free alternatives I would also recommend:
* matplotlib basemap (programming): http://matplotlib.org/basemap/users/examples.html
* GRASS: http://grass.osgeo.org/
* (like Shital said...) QGIS: http://www.qgis.org/en/site/
* leaflet (mobile friendly, programming): http://leafletjs.com/
* Mapnik (programming): http://mapnik.org/
To put the maps prettier:
* Inkscape (vector drawing): https://inkscape.org/en/
* Gimp (image processing): http://www.gimp.org/
* Krita (digital/pixel drawing): https://krita.org/
Hello,
About free GIS software, I recommend you from my experience gvSIG software (TRANSLATED TO LOTS OF LANGUAGES) or QGIS too, both are very good. I leave you here the links to both sites where you can download them and try. Im even doing my Ph.D. studies with gvSIG and it going on well.
http://www.gvsig.com/en/home
http://www.qgis.org/es/site/
About digital retouching programmes, I use photoshop for my maps, but I have also used Adobe Illustrator, and its goog too. I know for some colleagues, they use Freehand, but cant tell you how it works.
If you need more information, just ask.
Good luck!
Esperanza
Ok, to make it easy and free :-), download QGIS - free and open source - you can get it at http://www.qgis.org/en/site/ with lots of language mutations...
data can be downloaded (again free and open) at: http://www.naturalearthdata.com/downloads/ or http://www.diva-gis.org/Data
Good Luck
Jirka
A bit more complicated but also very customizable is by using the R statistical package and appropriate map/gis packages. (http://www.r-project.org/)
Example: http://blog.revolutionanalytics.com/2009/10/geographic-maps-in-r.html
use QGIS, prepare maps with 600 dpi, thats is sufficient to publish. already i published 29 papers.
As an 'alternative' to free ware, if you would like to practice with ESRI ArcGIS, the student licence (or for any private, non-commercial use - 'ArcGIS For Home Use') is only $100 for one year.
According to financial condition, people can use ArcGIS(not free) or QGIS(Free),
I idea is, if you ride a bicycle in BSA, why not in other brand. but learning curve may be little difficult in free software. Initially in the year 2002, I learned GRASS with RedHat, I conducted open source GIS training in IITM, chennai, Inida (April 2009). They appreciated. all the best.
Hello,
Use QGis.
It is plenty of tutorials in Internet.
Good Luck
Software is only part of the process, and you have many to choose from. Please also consider how to make a good map. Apologies if these are already things you know.
For starters, do not use a geographic coordinate system (latitude and longitude) for your map, select an appropriate map projection:
http://www.geo.hunter.cuny.edu/~jochen/gtech201/lectures/lec6concepts/map%20coordinate%20systems/how%20to%20choose%20a%20projection.htm
http://www.geo.hunter.cuny.edu/~jochen/gtech201/lectures/lec6concepts/map%20coordinate%20systems/how%20to%20choose%20a%20projection.htm
Here is a nice list of things to also think about:
http://www.esri.com/news/arcuser/0911/making-a-map-meaningful.html
Best of luck,
David
QGIS is sufficient, to produce quality map, you can assign 600dpi, take care of line thickness, less than 0.02mm or greater.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT6Ab5cQ6IY, Here is simple technique to make good study area map in qgis by Martin Fisher. Please check this link.
QGIS is best open source software for this, use it, very user friendly too
Hi Muthuraman Vasanth, QGIS is easy to use and free. They have online tutorials that are easy to follow
Best
QGIS can be used. It is free and latest version is very user-friendly like commercial software.
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