Frequently Asked Questions

	Q. How Frequently does a Question have to be asked to be included in your FAQ? *A. Once is enough for us, if it's a good one. Why don't you ask your question HERE* and see if it works? Q. Do you have FootPrints for my Mac/Linux/Atari computer? A. Not right now we don't but if we get enough requests we might make them. We do most of our development on Mac computers and port to PCs. Q. Do I need to register my program? A. There is no requirement to register your program. If you register we can let you know when there is an update. Q. How is FootPrints different from Geocommunicator or Google Earth? A. It is difficult to compare FootPrints to the programs it was designed to replace. You can do a direct comparison of some features HERE. Q. My friend told me that the whole internet is a database and what FootPrints has is the same stuff I can get on the internet? A. Your friend has made a common mistake. An internet map server, such as Google, supplies images of a requested area, the images returned may be stored in a database on another computer, but they are just images and not a database. Your friend may wish to read the WMS standards to understand the difference. Q. OK so your program has a database, how does that make it any better than the internet? A. The databases that run on FootPrints are like the databases used by the big mining companies, they are custom designed to present the information needed to mine a particular gold bearing region. Our databases are copyright, unique and not available anywhere else. Q. When I uninstalled my FootPrint it left a server running on port 80- isn't that dangerous? A. When you uninstall FootPrints it is deleted entirely. No server is left behind. Your computer may have a default server installed as part of the system. If you are running Windows on an Apple computer you probably are seeing the Apache server that was installed on port 80, by default, with your OSX installation. Q. My anti-virus program says your program is a virus and is dangerous? A. If you have an original MinerDiggins FootPrint we can guarantee there are no viruses installed. If your anti-virus program claims a virus is being installed by your FootPrint feel free to override that warning. Many anti-virus programs are designed to scare you into spending money for more "protection". The following programs are suspect and known not to be trusted, there are many others, If you downloaded a "free" anti-virus program you may be getting what you paid for. IE AntiVirus, Vista AntiVirus 2008, AntiVirus Protector, AntiVirus 2008, XP AntiVirus 2008, AntiVirus 2008 Pro Q. I heard that you are really a big company and you just pretend that you are Ruby and Clay? A. You heard wrong. Ruby and Clay make FootPrints all on their own. We are not a company, we're just two prospectors sharing what we know. Ruby is the mapmaker and Clay writes the code and makes the graphics work, no one else, and we intend to keep it that way. When you ask a question or make a suggestion the reply you get is from one of us. If you happen to meet us one day in the gold fields we are really easy to tell apart, Ruby is the pretty one. Q. I was installing a new FootPrint and got a warning that XXXX.log could not be written to. What do I do? A. On some of the very early installers Clay made a little boo boo. OK it was a "bug" technically but this one can be ignored, literally just click the "ignore" option on the installer, it won't hurt a thing and your FootPrint will install fine. Q. When are you going to have a FootPrint map set for my favorite prospecting area? A. You can see the FootPrints map projects we are working on by going to the SHOP button on the menu. Current projects are listed with their estimated completion dates. Q. I looked in the SHOP pages and my very favorite prospecting area isn't there, how can I convince you to hurry up and map it? A. You can VOTE for new area to be mapped. If other people VOTE for the same area we will move that FootPrint map set up on our schedule.** Q. I sent in my vote and my favorite area still isn't available, what can I do to convince you that I really really want a FootPrint for my area? A. You could send us all your nuggets so instead of prospecting we have plenty of time to work on mapping your favorite area. Q. I don't have any nuggets yet because you haven't made a FootPrint for my area, what can I do? A. We make custom maps. Send us a message through our CONTACT form and let us know what you would like. Q. Can you show me some of your custom maps? A. No. All of our custom maps are licensed for private use. We respect the privacy of every one we have contact with, we do not share ANY information. Q. How much room do I need on my computer hard drive to install my FootPrint? A. FootPrints are all different sizes. They vary between about 2 Gb and 4.5Gb. You can see how much room your FootPrint requires on the front of your install disk. The installer also tells you how much room you will need and will not begin to install if you do not have enough room for your FootPrint. Q. Can I use a browser other than Internet Explorer with my FootPrint? A. Just about any browser will display the maps. The only thing that will not work correctly is the GPS download feature. To start the interface to download tracks and waypoints from your GPS unit you will need to use Internet Explorer.

Q. How Frequently does a Question have to be asked to be included in your FAQ?
A. Once is enough for us, if it's a good one. Why don't you ask your question HERE and see if it works?

Q. Do you have FootPrints for my Mac/Linux/Atari computer?
A. Not right now we don't but if we get enough requests we might make them. We do most of our development on Mac computers and port to PCs.

Q. Do I need to register my program?
A. There is no requirement to register your program. If you register we can let you know when there is an update.

Q. How is FootPrints different from Geocommunicator or Google Earth?
A. It is difficult to compare FootPrints to the programs it was designed to replace. You can do a direct comparison of some features HERE.

Q. My friend told me that the whole internet is a database and what FootPrints has is the same stuff I can get on the internet?
A. Your friend has made a common mistake. An internet map server, such as Google, supplies images of a requested area, the images returned may be stored in a database on another computer, but they are just images and not a database. Your friend may wish to read the WMS standards to understand the difference.

Q. OK so your program has a database, how does that make it any better than the internet?
A. The databases that run on FootPrints are like the databases used by the big mining companies, they are custom designed to present the information needed to mine a particular gold bearing region. Our databases are copyright, unique and not available anywhere else.

Q. When I uninstalled my FootPrint it left a server running on port 80- isn't that dangerous?
A. When you uninstall FootPrints it is deleted entirely. No server is left behind. Your computer may have a default server installed as part of the system. If you are running Windows on an Apple computer you probably are seeing the Apache server that was installed on port 80, by default, with your OSX installation.

Q. My anti-virus program says your program is a virus and is dangerous?
A. If you have an original MinerDiggins FootPrint we can guarantee there are no viruses installed. If your anti-virus program claims a virus is being installed by your FootPrint feel free to override that warning.
Many anti-virus programs are designed to scare you into spending money for more "protection". The following programs are suspect and known not to be trusted, there are many others, If you downloaded a "free" anti-virus program you may be getting what you paid for.
IE AntiVirus, Vista AntiVirus 2008, AntiVirus Protector, AntiVirus 2008, XP AntiVirus 2008, AntiVirus 2008 Pro

Q. I heard that you are really a big company and you just pretend that you are Ruby and Clay?
A. You heard wrong. Ruby and Clay make FootPrints all on their own. We are not a company, we're just two prospectors sharing what we know. Ruby is the mapmaker and Clay writes the code and makes the graphics work, no one else, and we intend to keep it that way. When you ask a question or make a suggestion the reply you get is from one of us. If you happen to meet us one day in the gold fields we are really easy to tell apart, Ruby is the pretty one.

Q. I was installing a new FootPrint and got a warning that XXXX.log could not be written to. What do I do?
A. On some of the very early installers Clay made a little boo boo. OK it was a "bug" technically but this one can be ignored, literally just click the "ignore" option on the installer, it won't hurt a thing and your FootPrint will install fine.

Q. When are you going to have a FootPrint map set for my favorite prospecting area?
A. You can see the FootPrints map projects we are working on by going to the SHOP button on the menu. Current projects are listed with their estimated completion dates.

Q. I looked in the SHOP pages and my very favorite prospecting area isn't there, how can I convince you to hurry up and map it?
A. You can VOTE for new area to be mapped. If other people VOTE for the same area we will move that FootPrint map set up on our schedule.

Q. I sent in my vote and my favorite area still isn't available, what can I do to convince you that I really really want a FootPrint for my area?
A. You could send us all your nuggets so instead of prospecting we have plenty of time to work on mapping your favorite area.

Q. I don't have any nuggets yet because you haven't made a FootPrint for my area, what can I do?
A. We make custom maps. Send us a message through our CONTACT form and let us know what you would like.

Q. Can you show me some of your custom maps?
A. No. All of our custom maps are licensed for private use. We respect the privacy of every one we have contact with, we do not share ANY information.

Q. How much room do I need on my computer hard drive to install my FootPrint?
A. FootPrints are all different sizes. They vary between about 2 Gb and 4.5Gb. You can see how much room your FootPrint requires on the front of your install disk. The installer also tells you how much room you will need and will not begin to install if you do not have enough room for your FootPrint.

Q. Can I use a browser other than Internet Explorer with my FootPrint?
A. Just about any browser will display the maps. The only thing that will not work correctly is the GPS download feature. To start the interface to download tracks and waypoints from your GPS unit you will need to use Internet Explorer.