DatMapR is not the only kid on the block!  I am all too happy to list other software that does the same job.

DatMapR's predecessors (DisMap and DatMap) were written for a specific purpose, to map numeric data.  Though DatMapR is now a more comprehensive (and more useful) tool since it can now also map text data, it is still something of a 'one trick pony' - I hope it does that trick fairly well.  It is aimed at producing presentable maps from data taken from a wide range of sources.

Other software on the market produces maps, but in general it has a wider purpose and allows more specific handling of a specific type of data.  Two such packages are Recorder and MapMate.  Both are primarily aimed at handling, validating, storing, sharing (and mapping) biological records.  For more details see their web-sites (Recorder and Mapmate).

Dmap is specifically a mapping package, and, though I admit to having never used it, it is widey used 'by more than 1,500 individuals and organizations in over 40 countries' (to quote their web-site) and it does appear to be very powerful, including having a direct link to Recorder.  You could say that DatMapR is in direct competition with Dmap - do look at their web-site, the choice is yours.

One difference between all of these packages and DatMapR is that DatMapR is Freeware!