Now in it's 17th installment, Mad Mariner's series on electronic charting, Hard Facts on Software, has reviewed just about every major software package on the market. Applications from Maptech, Raymarine, Nobeltec, Rose Point, TIKI, DigiBOAT and many other companies have been put through their paces in order to create what we hope is the most comprehensive guide to software available.

But we're not done yet.

The folks around the newsroom here agreed several weeks ago that a conclusion was in order, some larger piece of writing that would take a step back, review all that has been written and make some recommendations based on all we have learned. A plan was hatched in which the authors, Mark and Diana Doyle, would lock themselves away for a few weeks in order to undertake this mammoth task.

And so, on February 14 – yes, Valentine's Day – Mad Mariner will conclude its series with a summation based on months of interviews, research and product tests. You can mark your calendar (after all, there are probably a few things to remember that day). Or, you can simply sign up for an Email Alert and let us worry about it. We'll ping you when it is published.

Either way, we think this is something you won't want to miss.