GED User's Guide

System Requirements

While no specific software is recommended for accessing these datasets, all data in this database have been prepared and tested using the Idrisi Geographic Information System. NGDC developed software is provided to aid users in browsing, visualizing, and exporting the data. The software provided with this database supports multiple platforms. (See software installation instructions)

There is no universal standard for numerical encoding, and standards differ between IBM-PC, MacIntosh, and Unix systems (for example). All files in this database use common data types stored according to IBM-PC numerical encoding standards. Access in Unix systems will require "byte-swapping" (for numerical data types), and conversion of record terminators (for ascii text data types). See the User's Guide for these procedures.

Specific computer requirements depend on the software used.