After 20 months since the public launch of the initiative of making the vectorial map of Romania for Garmin PC and GPS at a 1:100.000 scale, known by everybody as Digital Romania Project, we have the pleasure to inform you of the availability of the version 2005 of the Romanian Digital Atlas, RO.A.D. 2005.
In the effort of making this map, we were helped by the partners of Digital Romania Project. As a matter of fact, we wouldn�t have been able to have an actual and a complete map without their help. In the Romanian landscape, a handful of GIS enthusiastic people and from outside helped in an unprecedented collaborative way at the creation of something better for everybody.
We think the first version will create the premises of the democratization the access of the masses at the quality geospatial information in Romania. What started in December 2003 as a protest movement against geographical ignorance (among others) of today�s Romania by all the big suppliers of digital maps of general use in the world, has become today reality.
Offer of tourist map in Romania is in hike. Unfortunately, most of the maps are on paper and on those a few maps on which there are grids and coordination systems, navigation can be done by people, used to measure the movement angles with their compass and the distances by foot. And there is a saying about maps: a map is not useful if you do not know where you are on it!
Nowadays, we have evolved. We have GPSs that tells us with precision where we are on the surface of the Earth. Thai is great! We know that our position is N45.98034 and E26.299343. So what? Well, we know where we are! OK, it�s true, but without a map on the background, without a context, this precise positioning is as useful as having a map without knowing where we are. The help, in case we need it, could be 100 m away and we could take the opposite way!
GPS combination + digital map are unbeatable, because it offers precise positioning and background map! If the map can be charged on GPS, then one has a portable solution of navigation on a rough soil, away (or better said, independently) from the 220V converters for the notebook in the car. For the offroaders and not only for them, it is the last solution concerning navigation, data gathering, orientation and survival in nature or in the asphalt jungle.
We hope you like it and to be useful in your day-to-day activity. We have done all the necessary efforts to ensure a quality product and we can improve it once you send your feedback.

Bogdan Condurateanu
Project Manager � Digital Romania Project
Bucharest � October the 5th 2004