diff --git a/examples/osgbluemarble/GNUmakefile b/examples/osgbluemarble/GNUmakefile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7802ee650
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/osgbluemarble/GNUmakefile
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+TOPDIR = ../..
+include $(TOPDIR)/Make/makedefs 
+
+CXXFILES =\
+	osgbluemarble.cpp\
+
+LIBS     += -losgProducer -lProducer -losgText -losgGA -losgDB -losgUtil -losg $(GL_LIBS) $(X_LIBS) $(OTHER_LIBS) 
+
+INSTFILES = \
+	$(CXXFILES)\
+	GNUmakefile.inst=GNUmakefile
+
+EXEC = osgbluemarble
+
+INC +=  $(X_INC) 
+
+include $(TOPDIR)/Make/makerules 
+
diff --git a/examples/osgbluemarble/GNUmakefile.inst b/examples/osgbluemarble/GNUmakefile.inst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..596a6f27f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/osgbluemarble/GNUmakefile.inst
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+TOPDIR = ../..
+include $(TOPDIR)/Make/makedefs
+
+CXXFILES =\
+	osgbluemarble.cpp\
+
+LIBS     += -losgProducer -lProducer -losgDB -losgText -losgUtil -losg $(GL_LIBS) $(X_LIBS) $(OTHER_LIBS) 
+
+EXEC = osgbluemarble
+
+INC += $(X_INC)
+
+include $(TOPDIR)/Make/makerules
diff --git a/examples/osgbluemarble/osgbluemarble.cpp b/examples/osgbluemarble/osgbluemarble.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..509a4e2a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/osgbluemarble/osgbluemarble.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,340 @@
+/* -*-c++-*- OpenSceneGraph - Copyright (C) 1998-2003 Robert Osfield 
+ *
+ * This application is open source and may be redistributed and/or modified   
+ * freely and without restriction, both in commericial and non commericial applications,
+ * as long as this copyright notice is maintained.
+ * 
+ * This application is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+*/
+
+#include <osg/Texture2D>
+#include <osg/Geometry>
+
+#include <osgDB/ReadFile>
+#include <osgDB/WriteFile>
+#include <osgDB/ImageOptions>
+#include <osgDB/FileNameUtils>
+
+#include <osgUtil/Optimizer>
+#include <osgUtil/TriStripVisitor>
+
+#include <osgProducer/Viewer>
+
+osg::Vec3 computePosition(bool leftHemisphere, double x, double y)
+{
+    double latitude = osg::PI*x;
+    double longitude = osg::PI*y;
+    double sin_longitude = sin(longitude);
+
+    if (leftHemisphere) return osg::Vec3(cos(latitude)*sin_longitude,sin(latitude)*sin_longitude,-cos(longitude));
+    else return osg::Vec3(-cos(latitude)*sin_longitude,-sin(latitude)*sin_longitude,-cos(longitude));
+}
+
+
+osg::Node* createTile(const std::string& filename, bool leftHemisphere, double x, double y, double w,double h)
+{
+    osg::Geode* geode = new osg::Geode;
+    
+    osg::StateSet* stateset = new osg::StateSet();
+    
+    
+    osg::ref_ptr<osgDB::ImageOptions> options = new osgDB::ImageOptions;
+    options->_sourceImageWindowMode = osgDB::ImageOptions::RATIO_WINDOW;
+    options->_sourceRatioWindow.set(x,1-(y+h),w,h);
+
+    options->_destinationImageWindowMode = osgDB::ImageOptions::PIXEL_WINDOW;
+    options->_destinationPixelWindow.set(0,0,512,512);
+
+    osgDB::Registry::instance()->setOptions(options.get());
+    osg::Image* image = osgDB::readImageFile(filename.c_str());
+    if (image)
+    {
+	osg::Texture2D* texture = new osg::Texture2D;
+	texture->setImage(image);
+        texture->setWrap(osg::Texture::WRAP_S,osg::Texture::CLAMP);
+        texture->setWrap(osg::Texture::WRAP_T,osg::Texture::CLAMP);
+        texture->setMaxAnisotropy(8);
+	stateset->setTextureAttributeAndModes(0,texture,osg::StateAttribute::ON);
+    }
+    
+    geode->setStateSet( stateset );
+
+    unsigned int numColumns = 20;
+    unsigned int numRows = 20;
+    unsigned int r;
+    unsigned int c;
+
+    osg::Geometry* geometry = new osg::Geometry;
+
+    osg::Vec3Array& v = *(new osg::Vec3Array(numColumns*numRows));
+    osg::Vec3Array& n = *(new osg::Vec3Array(numColumns*numRows));
+    osg::Vec2Array& t = *(new osg::Vec2Array(numColumns*numRows));
+    osg::UByte4Array& color = *(new osg::UByte4Array(1));
+
+    color[0].set(255,255,255,255);
+
+
+    float rowTexDelta = 1.0f/(float)(numRows-1);
+    float columnTexDelta = 1.0f/(float)(numColumns-1);
+
+    double orig_latitude = osg::PI*x;
+    double delta_latitude = osg::PI*w/(double)(numColumns-1);
+    
+    // measure as 0 at south pole, postive going north
+    double orig_longitude = osg::PI*y;
+    double delta_longitude = osg::PI*h/(double)(numRows-1);
+    
+    osg::Vec2 tex(0.0f,0.0f);
+    int vi=0;
+    double longitude = orig_longitude;
+    osg::Vec3 normal;
+    for(r=0;r<numRows;++r)
+    {
+        double latitude = orig_latitude;
+        
+        tex.x() = 0.0f;
+	for(c=0;c<numColumns;++c)
+	{
+            double sin_longitude = sin(longitude);
+            if (leftHemisphere)
+            {
+                normal.set(cos(latitude)*sin_longitude,sin(latitude)*sin_longitude,-cos(longitude));
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                normal.set(-cos(latitude)*sin_longitude,-sin(latitude)*sin_longitude,-cos(longitude));
+            }
+	    v[vi] = normal;
+	    n[vi] = normal;
+            
+	    t[vi].set(tex.x(),tex.y());
+            latitude+=delta_latitude;
+            tex.x()+=columnTexDelta;
+            ++vi;
+	}
+        longitude += delta_longitude;
+        tex.y() += rowTexDelta;
+    }
+
+    geometry->setVertexArray(&v);
+    geometry->setNormalArray(&n);
+    geometry->setNormalBinding(osg::Geometry::BIND_PER_VERTEX);
+    geometry->setColorArray(&color);
+    geometry->setColorBinding(osg::Geometry::BIND_OVERALL);
+    geometry->setTexCoordArray(0,&t);
+
+    for(r=0;r<numRows-1;++r)
+    {
+        osg::DrawElementsUShort& drawElements = *(new osg::DrawElementsUShort(GL_QUAD_STRIP,2*numColumns));
+        geometry->addPrimitiveSet(&drawElements);
+        int ei=0;
+	for(c=0;c<numColumns;++c)
+	{
+	    drawElements[ei++] = (r+1)*numColumns+c;
+	    drawElements[ei++] = (r)*numColumns+c;
+	}
+    }
+
+    osgUtil::TriStripVisitor tsv;
+    tsv.stripify(*geometry);
+    
+    geometry->setUseVertexBufferObjects(true);
+
+    geode->addDrawable(geometry);
+
+    return geode;
+}
+
+osg::Node* createTileAndRecurse(const std::string& filename, const std::string& basename, const std::string& extension, bool leftHemisphere, double x, double y, double w,double h, unsigned int numLevelsLeft)
+{
+    osg::Group* group = new osg::Group;
+    
+    if (numLevelsLeft>0)
+    {
+    
+        std::string basename1 = basename+"_1";
+        std::string basename2 = basename+"_2";
+        std::string basename3 = basename+"_3";
+        std::string basename4 = basename+"_4";
+        
+        {
+            osg::ref_ptr<osg::Node> node = createTileAndRecurse(filename,basename1,extension,leftHemisphere,x,y,w*0.5,h*0.5,numLevelsLeft-1);
+            osgDB::writeNodeFile(*node, basename1+extension);
+        }
+
+        {
+            osg::ref_ptr<osg::Node> node = createTileAndRecurse(filename,basename2,extension,leftHemisphere,x+w*0.5,y,w*0.5,h*0.5,numLevelsLeft-1);
+            osgDB::writeNodeFile(*node, basename2+extension);
+        }
+
+        {
+            osg::ref_ptr<osg::Node> node = createTileAndRecurse(filename,basename3,extension,leftHemisphere,x,y+h*0.5,w*0.5,h*0.5,numLevelsLeft-1);
+            osgDB::writeNodeFile(*node, basename3+extension);
+        }
+
+        {
+            osg::ref_ptr<osg::Node> node = createTileAndRecurse(filename,basename4,extension,leftHemisphere,x+w*0.5,y+h*0.5,w*0.5,h*0.5,numLevelsLeft-1);
+            osgDB::writeNodeFile(*node, basename4+extension);
+        }
+
+        float cut_off_distance = h*osg::PI;
+        float max_visible_distance = 1e7;
+    
+        // create current layer, and write to disk.
+        {
+
+            {
+                osg::PagedLOD* pagedlod = new osg::PagedLOD;
+                osg::Node* tile = createTile(filename,leftHemisphere,x,y,w*0.5,h*0.5);
+                pagedlod->addChild(tile, cut_off_distance,max_visible_distance);
+                pagedlod->setRange(1,0.0f,cut_off_distance);
+                pagedlod->setFileName(1,basename1+extension);
+                pagedlod->setCenter(computePosition(leftHemisphere,x+w*0.25,y+h*0.25));
+
+                group->addChild(pagedlod);
+            }
+
+            {
+                osg::PagedLOD* pagedlod = new osg::PagedLOD;
+
+                osg::Node* tile = createTile(filename,leftHemisphere,x+w*0.5,y,w*0.5,h*0.5);
+                pagedlod->addChild(tile, cut_off_distance,max_visible_distance);
+                pagedlod->setRange(1,0.0f,cut_off_distance);
+                pagedlod->setFileName(1,basename2+extension);
+                pagedlod->setCenter(computePosition(leftHemisphere,x+w*0.75,y+h*0.25));
+
+                group->addChild(pagedlod);
+            }
+
+            {
+                osg::PagedLOD* pagedlod = new osg::PagedLOD;
+
+                osg::Node* tile = createTile(filename,leftHemisphere,x,y+h*0.5,w*0.5,h*0.5);
+                pagedlod->addChild(tile, cut_off_distance,max_visible_distance);
+                pagedlod->setRange(1,0.0f,cut_off_distance);
+                pagedlod->setFileName(1,basename3+extension);
+                pagedlod->setCenter(computePosition(leftHemisphere,x+w*0.25,y+h*0.75));
+
+                group->addChild(pagedlod);
+            }
+
+            {
+                osg::PagedLOD* pagedlod = new osg::PagedLOD;
+
+                osg::Node* tile = createTile(filename,leftHemisphere,x+w*0.5,y+h*0.5,w*0.5,h*0.5);
+                pagedlod->addChild(tile, cut_off_distance,max_visible_distance);
+                pagedlod->setRange(1,0.0f,cut_off_distance);
+                pagedlod->setFileName(1,basename4+extension);
+                pagedlod->setCenter(computePosition(leftHemisphere,x+w*0.75,y+h*0.75));
+
+                group->addChild(pagedlod);
+            }
+        
+        }
+        
+        
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        // create current layer, and write to disk.
+        {
+            group->addChild(createTile(filename,leftHemisphere,x,y,w*0.5,h*0.5));
+            group->addChild(createTile(filename,leftHemisphere,x+w*0.5,y,w*0.5,h*0.5));
+            group->addChild(createTile(filename,leftHemisphere,x,y+h*0.5,w*0.5,h*0.5));
+            group->addChild(createTile(filename,leftHemisphere,x+w*0.5,y+h*0.5,w*0.5,h*0.5));
+        }
+    }
+    
+    return group;
+    
+}
+
+bool createWorld(const std::string& left_hemisphere, const std::string& right_hemisphere, const std::string& baseName, unsigned int numLevels)
+{
+
+    osgDB::ReaderWriter* readerWriter = osgDB::Registry::instance()->getReaderWriterForExtension("gdal");
+    if (!readerWriter)
+    {
+        std::cout<<"Error: GDAL plugin not available, cannot preceed with database creation"<<std::endl;
+        return false;
+    }
+
+
+    osg::Timer timer;
+    osg::Timer_t start_tick = timer.tick();
+
+    // create the world
+    
+
+    std::string base = osgDB::getFilePath(baseName)+'/'+osgDB::getStrippedName(baseName);
+    std::string extension = '.'+osgDB::getLowerCaseFileExtension(baseName);
+    
+    std::cout << "baseName = "<<baseName<<std::endl;
+    std::cout << "base = "<<base<<std::endl;
+    std::cout << "extension = "<<extension<<std::endl;
+
+
+    osg::ref_ptr<osg::Group> group = new osg::Group;
+    group->addChild(createTileAndRecurse(left_hemisphere, base+"_west", extension, true, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 1.0, numLevels));
+    group->addChild(createTileAndRecurse(right_hemisphere, base+"_east", extension, false, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 1.0, numLevels));
+   
+    osg::StateSet* stateset = group->getOrCreateStateSet();
+    stateset->setMode(GL_CULL_FACE,osg::StateAttribute::ON);
+
+    osgDB::writeNodeFile(*group, baseName);
+
+    
+    osg::Timer_t end_tick = timer.tick();
+    std::cout << "Time to create world "<<timer.delta_s(start_tick,end_tick)<<std::endl;
+    
+    return true;
+}
+
+
+int main( int argc, char **argv )
+{
+
+    // use an ArgumentParser object to manage the program arguments.
+    osg::ArgumentParser arguments(&argc,argv);
+    
+    // set up the usage document, in case we need to print out how to use this program.
+    arguments.getApplicationUsage()->setApplicationName(arguments.getApplicationName());
+    arguments.getApplicationUsage()->setDescription(arguments.getApplicationName()+" is the standard OpenSceneGraph example which loads and visualises 3d models.");
+    arguments.getApplicationUsage()->setCommandLineUsage(arguments.getApplicationName()+" [options] filename ...");
+    arguments.getApplicationUsage()->addCommandLineOption("-h or --help","Display this information");
+    
+
+    // if user request help write it out to cout.
+    if (arguments.read("-h") || arguments.read("--help"))
+    {
+        arguments.getApplicationUsage()->write(std::cout);
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    // any option left unread are converted into errors to write out later.
+    arguments.reportRemainingOptionsAsUnrecognized();
+
+    // report any errors if they have occured when parsing the program aguments.
+    if (arguments.errors())
+    {
+        arguments.writeErrorMessages(std::cout);
+        return 1;
+    }
+    
+//     if (arguments.argc()<=1)
+//     {
+//         arguments.getApplicationUsage()->write(std::cout,osg::ApplicationUsage::COMMAND_LINE_OPTION);
+//         return 1;
+//     }
+
+    std::string left_hemisphere("land_shallow_topo_west.tif");
+    std::string right_hemisphere("land_shallow_topo_east.tif");
+    std::string basename("bluemarble.ive");
+    
+    createWorld(left_hemisphere,right_hemisphere,basename,4);
+
+    return 0;
+}
+