Villageware put out the beta version of its LiveVillage digital map of Seattle, and I've been trying it out.

CEO Mike Safoutin is right -- you never know what you're going to find when you're not really searching for it.

I moved my mouse over Ballard and found a listing for an upcoming show by legendary surf guitarist Dick Dale at the Tractor Tavern. So far, the event listings seem a bit light, and it takes some time to learn how to navigate the map. If every listing worked as well as the Tractor's, it could be a very useful tool.

Eight local retailers are distributing the map on CD, and it's also available in a free download. The sponsors also provide a link to LiveVillage on their Web sites.

The first two weeks of the beta has been an interesting learning process, says Safoutin. Now it's about ironing out the kinks.