EVS-Islands

Tehuata Atoll FP

I am approaching 300 completed posts. By April 2007 I should finish another 22 posts and that will put my total for the first year of this blog at 300 completed posts. Of those, 150 will be completed island mapping projects. They include very large island shorelines - Taiwan to the very small - Bulgarian Islands. I have mapped the newsworthy islands - Carterets to the small and out-of-the-way - Eiao. My collection of completed EVS quality maps is impressive. It is my hope that many of you have downloaded most of either the Landsat imagery and the EVS island maps into your folder called "EVS Islands". Some of you requested the use of my map files - no problem. I sent you whatever layer(s) of data you required. As I stated to a student requesting my help on her mapping project, "I offer it for free, because it brings me enjoyment to create a map where none, consisting of EVS quality, existed before."

Long time readers know that my wife periodically comments regarding my efforts, "Show me the money!" Okay, I'll show you and her the potential money.

If I were to dollarize my efforts on this blog, it would amount to $24,000 for the 150 completed mapping projects ((150-projects x 4-hours) x $40 per hour) and $6,000 for the 150 other posts ((150-posts x 2-hours) x $20). All of my other incidental work to maintain and improve both the quality of this site and of my mapping efforts, based on hours invested, would be valued at $6,000 (300-hours x $20). That is $36,000 value for my product and efforts.

I am dollarizing my efforts and output conservatively. What I have not dollarized is the value of my audience - you, the readers. My site has had over 20,000 page views in slightly under 10-months. My visitors are a unique fraternity. They enjoy maps and islands. They appreciate the projects for their face-value ("Nice map!") and their suggestiveness ("I would love to visit that place."). They are both GIS shakers and the GIS enjoyers. They live all around the world - over 150 countries and counting. They have a great deal of value both monetarily and in their daily affirmation of my mapping efforts.

So, what is the value of my EVS-Islands blog? $36,000 plus the additional value of 20,000 page views the first year! Wow! That's impressive. It is far more than I earn as a middle-school teacher.

Note to Myself - Why do you do what you do for free?

Answer to Myself - Because I love it!

Question to Myself - Isn't that life's purpose?

Enjoy!

Labels: blog, dollarize, mapping, value

Posted by Mr Minton at 2/21/2007 06:22:00 AM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

If it wasn't for James Fee and his excellent work on Planet GS many GIS blogs would be read by the blog author and his or her close and loyal friends and family. Planet GS has allowed me to share my island projects with thousands of people throughout the world. I owe much of my blog's success to Planet GS.

My work is well received, being viewed by 50 to 100 visitors daily. My posts of island projects are typically found in the top five site references for a Google search. My point is - I am what I am (blog-wise) due to the quality of my work, the breath of my posts and the exposure offered by Planet GS.

So, it was with a great deal of displeasure I read the "Blogger Bashing" thread on James Fee's website dated November 02. To a person, everyone had fun bashing Blogger and the spamming-like problems that it supposedly creates in Planet GS.

As a Blogger blogger, I don't think the problem is with Blogger. The problem is with the blogger (little "b"). That is the individual blogging. Not all of us are HTML-pros. Not everyone works on the coding side of GIS. Some of us just have GIS-related ideas to share and Blogger is a great vehicle to carry our ideas forth. We sometimes screw up and post when we shouldn't post or post silly content. That is a problem of the blogger, not Blogger.

What am I trying to say? I resent that my site, EVS Islands, shows up on a list of Blogger derived sites (see the above link) as if it isn't worthy to be listed alongside non-Blogger sites. That is a bunch of elitist crap! I work long hours to ensure the quality of my posts meet my high exacting standards. I labor long and hard to maintain a consistently high standard of content. I never, knowingly, produce trite commentary, but strive to share topics relevant to my special interest, Enhanced Vector Shorelines of islands.

My product, high quality island maps, is for everyone, not merely the GIS expert. I am sure my readers include bored office workers, students and elderly dreamers. Great! And Blogger is how I am able to share my work.

James Fee - your work with Planet GS has allowed my product and that of others to be widely viewed throughout the world. If someone is messing up, determine the problem and let them know with a personal email. If they ignore your fair warning, since Planet GS is your site, delete their feed.

All of us in the GIS community truely appreciate Planet GS and all that you do.

Most especially this GIS Blogger blogger.

Labels: blog, Blogger, GIS, James Fee, Planet GS

Posted by Mr Minton at 11/20/2006 04:59:00 AM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post