Remote Sensing

MapInfo Professional is a powerful Microsoft® Windows®-based mapping and geographic analysis application from the experts in location intelligence. Designed to easily visualize the relationships between data and geography, MapInfo Professional helps business analysts, planners, GIS professionals – even non-GIS users – gain new insights into their markets, share information-rich maps and graphs and improve strategic decision-making.

MapInfo developed the first desktop GIS in 1986[citation needed]. Originally, the intention was to create an easy-to-use software package that did not require exceedingly large amounts of computing power.

MapInfo provided the first tools to Microsoft that allowed them to include mapping functionality in their products, specifically the mapping add-on branded as Microsoft Map for Microsoft Excel as part of MS Office 95. The add-on was subsequently included in Microsoft Office 97, and Microsoft Office 2000. This provided the inspiration for the Microsoft MapPoint program, which became a separate product from Microsoft, and since that Microsoft Map was dropped.

MapInfo collaborated with Oracle Corporation to develop the original spatial cartridge for the Oracle 8i database.