Software to draw MAPS: Opinions Wanted

[C R Francis]

There are several applications available which appear to be a kind of
software atlas. They seem to contain maps, typically of countries or
the whole world, and various datasets typical of atlases (population,
literacy etc). There are other types of software which can be used
in a sort of database way (eg plot a map in which all addresses in some
file meet various criteria). Then there are Geographical Information
Systems (GIS), typically used to plot thematic data (eg distribution of
agricultural crops).

I am looking for something different. I want a mapping application which
plots coastlines, rivers and lakes for any area I specify. I want to be
able to specify the map projection and scale and then choose the area I
want, say by dragging a rectangle on a world map. Ideally the coastline
database would be the World Data Bank II, though this would probably mean
using CD-ROM: even compressed it's 13Mb (the original is 200Mb of COBOL
records).

Has anybody heard of such a thing, or even something which cames close?

thanks
------------------------------------- Richard Francis
Internet: rfra...@estec.estec.esa.nl European Space Research and
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smail : C R Francis, OEE/OWP, ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, 2200AG NOORDWIJK NL