[PLUG] Mapinfo and other GIS on Linux...

[Michael C. Robinson]

Is this option available now?  I ran into something by David Mandel on
the topic where evidently a discussion on bringing Mapinfo to Linux
hung on cost, $500,000 evidently to do a port.  The claim against
porting the popular software is that Windows NT is too entrenched
and there isn't enough market to warrant spending the money.

Is MapXtreme comparable to Mapinfo?  Is there any way to work with
Arcview data under Linux?  With so many places standardized on Arcview
and Mapinfo what can be done in Linux environments?

This is a possible area other than video games to do some programming
for Linux ;-)  Is there any open format for GIS that Mapinfo and 
Arcview can export to?  Is any alternative that works in Linux capable
of providing the Mapinfo feel and functionality?

Just some thoughts.

     --  Michael