About 5 minutes, Rich. It is completely intuitive, it automatically
interfaces with the free NOAA vector maps and a really cool feature
is a toggle that puts the raster data (paper charts) right on top of
the more data rich scalable vector charts. My brain still needs to
see a traditional chart. I got an independent USB GPS antenna for
cockpit use....at the nav station I connect my Garmin (with its fixed
external antenna) through a serial interface into a USB socket
(Garmin does't support MACs but Mac ENC takes the NMEA output
anyway). The program will automatically connect to the weather
service of your choice and overlay GRIBs on the chart and I haven't
gotten this yet but it will support AIS as well. I am going to get
an AIS receiver as soon as the boat is in the water this year. I
should get lots of practice with it on Lake Michigan, my marina is
next door to a big gypsum plant!

Phil

>What was the learning curve like for the MacENC program?
>
>Rich Cassano
>
>Philip Iannaccone wrote:
>>I am a dedicated apple user for over 20 years. I may be delusion
>>but the goal is to avoid the evil empire (AKA MS) at all costs. I
>>run Mac ENC and I love it. Of course, there is a large world of
>>PC based sailing software that is not available for Macs, but in
>>any event you shouldn't leave home without non-electronic
>>navigational tools.
>>
>>Phil
>>Adoxographi
>>
>>>Yeah Rick,
>>>
>>>....and in addition to that, I'm really tired of all the pop-ups
>>>from the Windows operating system telling me how vulnerable my
>>>computer is to all kinds of serious crimes. I spend more time
>>>clicking little boxes to get rid of these messages that originate
>>>from the Microsoft Security Center and slow down functions than I
>>>do with productive "computering". All these virus, pop-up, spam
>>>cops are the core problem when I'm cruising and trying to run
>>>Coastal Explorer using as little juice as possible and nowhere
>>>near the Internet.
>>>
>>>With this in mind, how many of you have jumped ship and joined the
>>>anti establishment, subversive Apple crowd?
>>>
>>>I'm really tempted to go out and buy a MacBook Pro or Mac-mini for
>>>navigation aboard Gray Eagle and abandon XP - Vista and Microsoft
>>>forever. Can any one out there comment on what its like navigating
>>>from the bridge of "The Good Ship Apple", the one flying the
>>>pirate flag?
>>>
>>>Rich Cassano
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
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>
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Received on Mon Feb 19 18:15:23 2007