[bobetter]

But my point was that the nav warning was in appropriate language to be understood by everyone who heard it (vhf coast of Southern Ireland).
Migrating from one system to another usually means, to start with anyway, being able to use both systems at once.
So the new electronic method has to cope with input that is compatible with the old system.

Yes, I agree, to an extent. But as I'm sure you know, we've been using electronic nav tools for some time now (I've been using the Mac for close to 10 years). The migration basics are pretty much complete. As to being understood by everyone, I doubt very much that with the exception of the commercial maritime community, many sailors in the US are conversant with "Cables". With all due respect to the originator of this thread, most everybody on the water (worldwide) understands meters/yards.

Personally, and this is just my personal opinion, decimal miles, whether expressed 0.2 or 2 cables, is more logical than to suddenly use a non-related measurement below a certain distance.
It's interesting in a way that the development of both nautical miles and metres was based upon measurements of the earth.

I don't think it is sudden at all nor is it non-related. The use of yards/meters is well established. BTW, what do you do with distances of less than 1 cable? 1/4 cable? 1/8 cable? The bottom line is what works for you is best, the problem occurs, of course, when everybody else is using something else. If I ever end up sailing the waters of Southern Ireland, tho, I will have some sort of Cable to Meters converter close at hand...

I am using PassagePlus at the moment, but am watching MacENC developments closely.
I came to use PassagePlus due to already having some British Admiralty digital charts, and PassagePlus was listed on the Admiralty site as being compatible.

Have you had occasion to use ENCs yet? Here in the States we are very lucky to have NOAA distribute them free. I purchased some Bermuda ENCs (Admiralty) last year, man-o-man, crazy expensive!! I think there is a demo available of MacENC, the NOAA ENCs are a free download that the demo will run. One of the great benefits of ENCs is the ease with which they are updated, both by the Chartmaker and the end user. I would bet that that mine (and it's buoy) was on the ENC the week it was discovered.

Yes a facility to draw a box or circle would be very handy.

yup, very (very) handy.....probably not all that easy to implement.