Name: Surfer
Rating: 9 (6 reviews)
Author: Golden Software

Communications Outsourcing

Help Desk

Web and Video Conferencing

Customer Support

Mobile App Development

Push Notifications

Development

K-12 Online Learning

Education

Audit

Business Intelligence (BI)

Collaboration

Embedded Business Intelligence (BI)

Environmental Health and Safety (EHS)

Org Chart

Procurement

Enterprise

Accounting

Crypto Asset Management

Merger and Acquisition

Subscription Management

Finance and Accounting

Applicant Tracking

Corporate Learning Management

Employee Recognition

Employer of Record (EOR)

HR Management

Payroll

Recruitment Agency

Talent Intelligence

Talent Management

Workforce Analytics

Workforce Management

Human Resources

Browser

Cloud Storage

Consulting and Advisory Services

Data Center Infrastructure Management

Data Center Virtualization

Data Observability

Data Pipeline

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Protection

Enterprise Architecture Management

Extended Detection and Response (XDR)

Fraud Detection

IT Infrastructure Monitoring

Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS)

Internet of Things (IoT)

Network Monitoring

Network Performance Monitoring

Remote Monitoring and Management

Software Defined Networking (SDN)

Tower Servers

Vulnerability Management

Information Technology

A/B Testing

Ad Serving & Retargeting

All-in-One Marketing

Audience Engagement

Contact Management

Content Management

Email Marketing

Heatmap and Session Recording

Landing Page

Marketing Automation

Social Media Management

Survey & Forms Building

Web Analytics

Marketing

Project Management

Professional Services

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Lead Generation Services

Product Configuration

Quote to Cash

Sales Coaching

Sales Gamification

Sales Intelligence

Sales

Auto Repair

Construction Workforce Management

Emergency Notification

Oil and Gas

Public Sector Software

Vertical-Specific

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### Mapping Techniques
Users unanimously praise Surfer's advanced mapping capabilities and efficient contouring algorithms. The consensus among reviewers is that Surfer excels in creating detailed and precise contour maps, making it a preferred choice for various projects, including mining, geological modeling, and geochemical analysis. The software's ability to generate impressive 3D visualizations and facilitate coordinate conversions has been highlighted as particularly beneficial for users working with spatial data. Additionally, users appreciate the ease of use and the wide range of mapping methods available in Surfer, which contribute to its reputation as a powerful tool for spatial analysis and map creation.

### 3D Visualization and Modeling
Users consistently highlight Surfer's 3D visualization and modeling as a standout feature, praising its ease of use and customization options for creating visually impressive maps. While some users express minor concerns about accuracy in interpolation, the majority find Surfer to be a valuable tool for tasks like mapping seismic data, creating contour maps, and conducting geological modeling. The general sentiment leans towards Surfer being a reliable choice for 3D visualization and modeling needs, with users appreciating its efficiency and versatility in generating high-quality visualizations.

### Visualization and Presentation Tools
Users consistently praise Surfer for its exceptional capabilities in designing the best and most presentable maps, making it a standout choice for visualization and presentation tasks. The software's ability to automate tasks through the Scripture program has been highlighted as a time-saving feature, allowing users to efficiently create 3D map visualizations for their projects. Additionally, the customizable quality of graphs and integration with MATLAB code have been noted as enhancing the speed and presentation quality of work, particularly in areas such as heat transfer profile analysis. Users appreciate the diverse map types available in Surfer, including vector, wireframe, and base maps, which contribute to the software's versatility in creating visually appealing presentations.

### Data Analysis and Projections
Users unanimously praise Surfer's versatile capabilities in data analysis, projections, and visualization. The consensus among reviewers is that Surfer excels in providing a wide array of mapping methods, gridding algorithms, and customization options for data analysis and projections. While some users express minor concerns about the accuracy of interpolation at times, overall, Surfer is lauded for its efficiency in generating high-quality results for various analytical tasks. The integration with programming languages like MATLAB and the ease of creating contour maps for geological and geochemical models are highlighted as particularly beneficial features by users. Additionally, the continuous improvements and updates in Surfer have been well-received, enhancing its functionality for spatial and 3D analysis.

### Data Management and Generation
Users generally praise Surfer for its data handling and generation capabilities. They appreciate the software's ability to efficiently manage and generate data for various projects, such as contour map creation, interpolation, and coordinate transformations. The consensus among users is that Surfer's data management and generation features significantly contribute to streamlining their workflow and enhancing the quality of their analytical outputs.

### Measurement and Digitization
Users have expressed some minor concerns regarding Surfer's measurement and digitization features. While many appreciate the functionality for volume calculations and contour map creation, some users have mentioned a desire for more control in editing ground elements and a need for improved default unit measurements. Despite these minor drawbacks, overall sentiment towards Surfer's measurement and digitization capabilities remains positive.

Based on user reviews, users commonly recommend the following for Surfer:

1. Supplement Surfer with Python and R for ease of automation. Users suggest using Surfer in conjunction with programming languages like Python and R to enhance automation capabilities and streamline workflows.

2. Try Surfer if it is available at your company and do the tutorial. Many users recommend giving Surfer a try, especially if it is already accessible within your organization. They also advise completing the tutorial to familiarize yourself with the software's functionality.

3. Review Surfer's capabilities and functions thoroughly before making a decision. Users emphasize the importance of fully exploring Surfer's features and capabilities before deciding whether it suits your needs. This comprehensive review can help ensure that Surfer aligns with your requirements and objectives.

Users have also mentioned other positive aspects of Surfer, such as its ability to create contours and save time and money, its potential for generating contour plots and 3D maps for presentations, its ease of use and quality results, as well as its excellent customer support. However, these recommendations were not as prevalent in the user reviews compared to the three mentioned above.

Flexibility in geostatistical analysis: Users appreciate the flexibility provided by Surfer for geostatistical analysis. Several reviewers have stated that the software offers a wide range of mapping methods and tools, allowing them to perform various tasks such as gridding, contouring, and creating maps for GIS or flow model applications. The ability to build custom scripts using VBA or other programming languages has also been highlighted as a positive aspect.

Intuitive user interface: Surfer's intuitive user interface is highly praised by users. Many reviewers find the interface easy to follow and navigate, making it a great tool for 2D and 3D mapping, modeling, and analysis. They appreciate the contextual help and intuitive menus that make it easier to use the software effectively. The clear GUI/toolbar and point cloud feature are also mentioned as positive aspects of the user interface.

Speed and control in mapping algorithms: Users value Surfer for its speed, control, and wide range of mapping algorithms. Multiple reviewers have described the software as powerful yet user-friendly, with an intuitive interface that can be easily picked up even by undergraduates. The automation feature allows for quick renderings of 3D terrain models with gridded data, providing efficient results in a timely manner.

Difficulties Managing Layers in DXF Files: Many users have expressed that managing layers in DXF files within Surfer is a challenging task. They find it difficult to organize and manipulate the layers effectively, which can hinder their workflow.

Compatibility Issues with ArcInfo: A number of reviewers have mentioned that they face compatibility issues when working with others who require full compatibility with ArcInfo. This limitation can be problematic for collaborative projects where seamless integration and sharing of data are essential.

Time-consuming Procedure for Eliminating Dashes and Values from 2D Maps: Users have stated that the procedure to eliminate dashes and values from a 2D map in Surfer is quite time-consuming. This process can be lengthy and tedious, leading to decreased efficiency in project completion.

Users of Surfer have praised the software for its ability to create impressive 3D visualizations that leave a lasting impact on clients. The software is highly regarded for its extensive capabilities in creating reports and presentations, making it an indispensable tool for consultants. Surfer's ease of use is another key feature that has attracted a wide range of users, from undergraduate students to seasoned professionals. The software allows users to explore terrains and map large areas of land, providing valuable insights into potential obstacles and materials. Whether it's mapping, contouring, or analyzing geochemical and grid data, Surfer excels in delivering high-quality results. The customizable nature of contour maps in Surfer has also been appreciated by users who can tailor them to their specific needs. Additionally, the kriging function in Surfer stands out for its simplicity in creating quick and easy isopleth maps. With its ability to produce professional groundwater contour maps and facilitate hydrogeological modeling, environmental consulting, and reservoir sedimentation evaluation, Surfer is widely used across various industries for visualizing complex data sets and generating graphics. From mine planning to structural geology analysis to automating weather-related charts, Surfer proves to be a versatile software solution that addresses the diverse needs of its users.

Surfer is a data visualization suite from Golden Software in Colorado for oil and gas companies, or other entities in other industries requiring geological or environmental data.

QGIS (formerly Quantum GIS) is a free and open source geographic information system.

Surfer

Likelihood to Recommend

Golden Software

Paradigm

PhD Candidate

Surfer 2019-04-06 23:43:45

Canvas

Moodle

Google Forms

IDEXX Cornerstone Practice Management Software

Surfer 2019-04-17 16:53:48

TrustRadius is a technology and business research firm based in Austin, Texas. The company is known as a review platform for verified B2B technology and software reviews through a proprietary algorithm and human verification.

TrustRadius

Tool is good

User interface

Train employees

Couple of clicks

Change colors

New level

Easy to learn

Interface is simple

Tech support

Simple and easy

Support when needed

Quick to learn

Data input

Easy to manipulate

Home

Oil and Gas Software

Within our university, our department of Geological Sciences uses Surfer for various applications related to mapping geologic horizons, such as structural maps, reservoir thickness maps, and contouring of geological properties maps. The undergraduate students need to use it to complete projects for more than one course. Some graduate students, including those of my research group, use Surfer to contour data and generate maps related to our research, and publish in reports and articles.

The interface is simple and easy/quick to learn, so that not much experience is needed to start generating maps.
The map layouts are easy to manipulate, change colors, scale, labels, contour interval, etc...
Simple but functional mathematical and logical functions allow for the calculation and manipulation of grids.

It would be nice to establish the grid geometry graphically and/or copy it from an existing grid with only a couple of clicks.
The profile tool is good for making cross sections, but there's no way, that I know of, that you can create a combined profile of two or more stacked maps.

Surfer has allowed us to quickly create maps out of data imported from other software and GIS databases that either don't offer that function or have too cumbersome of mapping capabilities.

My company uses Surfer to create 2D and 3D images to represent the data we collect in the field. It is a small company so most employees use it for data processing and reports. It has been excellent for us to produce better images and improve the quality of our reports and assessments sent to clients.

3D surface maps are easy with Surfer and take a report to a whole new level.
It's an easy to learn program with accessible tech support when needed.
Data input is made simple as long as you stick to their (simple) guidelines.

The user interface can be tricky at first. It's a little rough around the edges and takes a little time to get the hang of.
Not an ideal application for older employees. There are too many things with the interface that make it not worthwhile to train employees with less computer experience.
Manipulating data within Surfer is difficult because you have to do things in a certain order. Not terrible if you get the hang of it but certainly frustrating at first.

The worst thing about Surfer is the cost. My company can only afford one license at the moment which means only one employee gets to use it regularly. Not so great when someone is sick or you have a huge wave of projects.
The user interface is a little rough but younger employees have been great at catching on quickly and producing great images.
There's nothing else quite like Surfer. It's versatile and not to difficult to use so, though the licenses are expensive, it is an excellent program that has done wonders for our company!

Cornerstone Practice Management Software, Moodle, Canvas, Google Forms

Surfer

Overview

What is Surfer?