Microsoft Uses Blue Marble's GeoCalc Coordinate Conversion Tool for GIS Data Processing for Virtual Earth

Gardiner, Maine - August 28, 2006 - Blue Marble Geographics (www.bluemarblegeo.com) is pleased to announce that Microsoft Corporation recently licensed the GeoCalc.NET software developer toolkit to enhance and expand the data processing capabilities required to create Virtual Earth. Blue Marble's coordinate conversion technology is used worldwide by thousands of GIS analysts at software companies, universities, oil and gas companies, civil engineering, surveying, technology, enterprise GIS groups, government and military organizations.

GeoCalc 6.2 is a fully object-oriented, cross platform software developer toolkit designed for complex coordinate system definition and conversion in an easy-to-use interface. The tool utilizes an XML data source and provides the latest support for well-known text (WKT) coordinate system definitions per the Open GIS Consortium specifications. The human readable capabilities of the XML data source in GeoCalc are important for ease of use in geodetic development projects. XML allows the GIS expert in your company to work with a developer who may know very little about coordinate systems. The GIS expert can easily read the coding to make certain that all the necessary parameters and tasks are included in the software developed with GeoCalc.

GeoCalc's coordinate system datasource is the largest commercially available coordinate system library, with over 3,200 predefined coordinate systems, over 1,100 datum shifts, fifty plus mathematic projections, local and global vertical datums, and the full and current EPSG coordinate system datasource. GeoCalc has fully functioning dialogs that allow the user to define custom systems, ellipsoids, datums, datum shifts, and units without having to edit a text file. Finally, the tool supports coordinate system definition straight from TAB or PRJ files.

"Blue Marble's GeoCalc technology is far superior to any other coordinate conversion tool we looked at," stated David Horne, Program Manager for Virtual Earth. "The total cost of developing, maintaining and supporting a library such as this far exceeded the purchase price. This tool definitely allowed us to free up developers and apply them to other top priority projects."

"Obviously Blue Marble is very excited to have Microsoft expand their use of our technology to include our GeoCalc developer tool," added Blue Marble President Patrick Cunningham. "We are happy to relieve them of the difficulties of working with coordinate conversion definition and q/a while saving time and lowering the cost of product development."

About Microsoft Corporation: Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

About Blue Marble Geographics: Blue Marble Geographics of Gardiner, Maine is a leading developer and provider of geographic software products that provide sensible solutions for users and developers of geographic data. Blue Marble has been writing GIS software tools and solutions for over 13 years and currently serves over 130,000 customers in over 120 countries. Learn more at www.bluemarblegeo.com.

Contact Information:
Kris Berglund
Blue Marble Geographics
Gardiner, ME, USA
kb@bluemarblegeo.com
800-616-2725 / 207-582-6747