GIS and Map Making - How To?

[Zeffy]

Posted here because I wasn't sure where to throw this. If it's better somewhere else, feel free to move.

For my Trenton Guide on the Main Site, I wanted to include a map of the area, outlining the neighborhoods in the city, the major routes, and the city boundary lines among other things. Now, from what I've been told, this is best done using GIS data + software. I've found a bunch of shape files over at the US Census site, but my question is... how do I use them? I don't have ArcGIS, which I know is a popular tool for users around these forums, and I'm not sure what else I would be able to use.

Alex gave me a GIS'd map of Trenton, but it's bare, and I'm not a good mapmaker at all to do the things I'm trying to do. I was wondering if anyone would like to help explain the ropes of using GIS data to me? Anyone who contributes to helping me will get mentioned at the bottom of the page. To be clear, I'm completely new to GIS, and have very little map-making experience other than drawing lines in Inkscape / Merkaartor and adding road names to them.

Thanks!

[sammi]

I'm writing this as I wait for a WEGO bus in downtown Niagara Falls. Because I'm actually being a tourist for once.

You have two free options for using GIS maps: Quantum GIS and TileMill. I prefer the latter. Download it, read the tutorial, and I can probably add more to this post once I get a reasonable Internet connection in my hotel.

[Zeffy]

I prefer the latter. Download it, read the tutorial, and I can probably add more to this post once I get a reasonable Internet connection in my hotel.

I downloaded it, read the tutorial, and imported this GIS shapefile of Mercer County, New Jersey I got from the NJGIN website... except I need to read more on CartoCSS to make it look appealing.

Now I need to find GIS data for the city...