[Touch Diamond, MDA Compact IV General] low.flying.pigs:
It may have sufficed for you. However, often responses are not intended just for those addressed, but to the wider readership generally. It was stated the response covered some wider issues of relevance.

The supposedly flawed 'better, but still flawed' question you refer to in post 2142 'why do I not have what I think someone else does' actually assumes you do not have, in any kind of useful or usable way, Ordnance Survey mapping currently operational in GCC, or in a format GCC currently supports, and as your further comments appear to confirm that, it would not in fact appear flawed at all.

It assumes that as from the exercise, no method of doing it in any kind of useful or usable way other than those outlined below could be readily determined, none of which are necessarily easily achievable either, hence one reason the 'still flawed'.

The potential technical feasibility of other formats could at least theoretically be examined to some extent, but it can be stated it would be at least technically possible subject to the necessary programming capability, to implement at some point support for Ordnance Survey mapping in .qct Quick Chart format as supplied by Memory-Map™, but probably not the latest .qc3 format when Digital Rights Management encrypted.

This would enable some users with their legitimately obtained maps in a supported format to use those in GPS Cycle Computer, if any applicable licencing allowed usage in a third party application.

Some non Memory-Map™ applications, see here, have implemented support for .qct format maps, with the technical detail of the .qct file format necessary for doing so existing in the public domain since November 2008 having been obtained through legitimate research and analysis. See here. Sample .qct maps are available here. Under Section 2, Restrictions, of the Ordnance Survey Data Licence Agreement, at the time of writing, there would not appear any restriction on what software application must be used to read and access the mapping, only that the mapping itself must be installed on only one mobile device. See here.

Incidentally, the Memory-Map™ 2800 and 3500 are further examples of recent and current Windows CE 5 based dedicated devices ideally suited for running GPS Cycle Computer. This alone is as good a reason as any to consider implementation of the functionality. The Memory-Map™ software on the menu page has an Apps button according to the user manual, for the launching of third party programs. This may be useful if there is any actual restriction, or if not, user reluctance on using alternative methods of selecting between programs / starting GCC, which would complement the Memory-Map™ software very well and not replace it, both being intended for differing purposes.

Clearly some considerable effort has been undertaken to ascertain whether this can in theory be done appropriately, and it would appear so from the freely available information detailed. However, any polite informal and friendly confirmation from an authorised representative of either Ordnance Survey or Memory-Map™, on forum, either way, would however be welcome clarification and provide useful reference for developers everywhere, and would be respected by this project.

As and when Blaustien / Klaus gets opportunity to review the information, if implementation is considered as though it may be within programming capabilities, then before going further this project will contact Ordnance Survey and Memory-Map™ if nothing has been heard from them. Probably it will be too difficult to achieve even if there were no objections, and this is essentially over before it even began.

An example of such a site that implements the functionality properly and legitimately is here.

Most commercial mapping, when offered for free for the purposes of usage in freely available mobile applications and websites, now control and restrict legitimate access to their content via their respective Application Programming Interfaces. These API's could potentially be integrated in to GPS Cycle Computer, allowing users legitimate access to the mapping and potentially other features, such as navigation. Careful and particular attention must be given to the requirements of each in all aspects, with particular regard to file retention and copyright notices. It should be noted the space required on screen for the mandatory notices should be considered when implementing other features for display on the map screen. Note even OpenStreetMap based mapping requires such a mandatory notice. See here.

The following offer initial starting points:

Bing. See here.

Google. See here.

Ordnance Survey OpenSpace®. See here.

Ordnance Survey mapping is also available via Bing API. Whilst Ordnance Survey mapping is limited to the UK, obviously both Bing and Google are useful throughout Europe and the wider world.

From an end user perspective, selection of .qct maps, or these API's if implemented need not be substantially different than map selection as at present, utilising the enhancements previously proposed.

The above in brief gives an overview of some of the expanded capabilities in areas related to mapping.

Further information to be added.

low.flying.pigs