In 2005 I started using GPS and my first GPS device was a Garmin StreetPilot i3 (I still have it and it still works!) After that I upgraded to the StreetPilot c340, then the StreetPilot c580 and then my current nüvi 270.

On a quick check of the Garmin automotive section of their site (I go by there every so often to see the newest offerings) there is not but a single StreetPilot series model left, that being the big-screen 7200 model. Other than that, all the rest of the models are nüvis.

The StreetPilot series is now one model away from the chopping block.

A few things to note about older "c" series StreetPilots (the most popular of the line):

Yes it can be upgraded to newer map sets, but there will inevitably come a point where you won’t be able to. The reason is because the map database will inevitably exceed the storage space inside a "c" series. (And it’s unknown whether or not you can use an SD card in the slot for future map database releases.)

The bright side is that current-gen nüvi 2xx and 2×5 models are pretty cheap these days. The nüvi 200 and 250 can be had for under 150 bucks easily. And with the nüMaps guarantee you can upgrade the map database free of charge.

Let’s say you’re a current "c" series owner and don’t feel like flipping out the cash for a nüvi or map upgrade. Is it still usable? Yes. And it will continue to be usable until a hardware failure (usually the touchscreen goes first) occurs. True, the maps will be a bit outdated but it will still get you where you need to go as it always has.

But let’s say you do think it’s time to switch over to a nuvi. Are there any utilities to copy your favorites from the "c"? YES. You can get the freely available Nüvi Editor. It connects up to StreetPilots via USB with no problems, downloads all your favorites, and then you can plug in a nüvi with USB and upload them all to the new unit, so you don’t lose a thing.

Either way you can still use GPS as you always have, but if you decided to upgrade to a nüvi, at least you now know you won’t have to re-save all your favorites all over again.

MS-DOS Editor is a DOS-based text editor that comes with 32-bit Windows XP Home and Professional (As well as virtually all other versions of Windows before it.)

Since Notepad can only handle small files; Editor is sometimes used as a substitute for Notepad. It is a Text User Interface; the color scheme of which is adjustable. Editor can edit files that are up to 65,279 lines and up to approximately 5MB in size. The editor can also open files in binary mode.

The window can be split down the middle into two panes. These can be used to view two files in a single window, or different parts of the same file. Windows has retained this program, and the program file has retained its .com file extension, from its original DOS version back in MS DOS 3.1; although in reality it is an .exe file.

There are 2 ways in which to access this program: The first is by typing “edit” into a command-line. The second, and the more convenient, is by creating an icon on the Desktop. Here’s how to do that:

1. Locate the file “Edit.com” in the folder

%systemroot%\Windows\System32

Where %systemroot% is your system drive. (Usually C:)

2. Right-click on the file and click on “Create Shortcut” to create a shortcut to it.

3. Drag & drop the shortcut to your desktop.

4. Right-click the shortcut icon, select “Properties” from the drop-down box, select the “Program” tab, and ensure that the “Close on Exit” check-box has a tick in it.

5. Click OK

Any time you need to use MS-DOS editor simply click on the Desktop shortcut and the program will activate. To close it click on the X in the right-hand corner or click on “Exit” in the file menu.

For the most part, all graphics you deal with are traditional 2D raster (bitmap style) graphics. While many programs such as GIMP, Photoshop, Paint.NET, etc. are able to combine layers to produce a single image, the result is always a “flat” object. If you want to deal with 3D-esque graphics and manipulation power you get from them, vector graphics is the way to go.

If you are looking to explore vector graphics, give the open source editor Inkscape a look. Inkscape is a powerful editor which gives the ability to fully exploit vector graphics in a standards friendly XML format. There is extensive documentation and tutorials as well as a lengthy FAQ available to get you started. Additionally, you can view a lots of user contributed creations which demonstrate what others are using Inkscape to produce.