Digital maps are a product of the last century's massive increase in technology development. Digital maps are more easily changed and manipulated than paper maps are. With a click of a mouse button, you can add layers to your land use map to find a) major highways, b) streams and rivers, c) to find power lines. With a digital map, a user can find the area of a particular feature like a lake or a forest, the length of a road or water course, or find out how many schools are within a school board district. Digital maps can easily be personalized to a specific user's needs and purpose. Digital maps can also be easily kept up-to-date.

Maps and mapping on computers can be very expensive. Even just to purchase the data and information that goes into digital maps can be very expensive. You also have to have a computer, and have software that can process the map data. Digital maps are not as portable as paper maps, although hand held Global Positioning Systems are available. One of the biggest disadvantages of digital maps is that not everyone understands how to use digital mapping technology. People have to spend some time learning how digital maps are made and how to use them in the best way.