DeLorme Street Atlas 2004

[Pahaska]

Just got it in the mail yesterday and I am mildly disappointed.

The good points:

It now includes Canada, which is of very little benefit to me personally.

The maps are a bit prettier on the screen.

The GPS works better (faster lockin).

The routing is definitely a little bit better, but it still takes me on some short jaunts on service roads where an interstate highway bends at an exit.

The bad points:

They haven't fixed a lot of screwups on the maps themselves, including the whole area near my home which is distorted so badly that the GPS puts me in another subdivision entirely.

The human factors are terrible. A couple of years ago, they departed from the Windows standard interface for some unknown reason.

A lot of detail is missing. Microsoft Streets and Trips shows the Lubbock Airport and all the service roads. With SA, I can't even determine where the airport is to place a stop at the adjacent RV park.

It is overpriced. MS Streets and Trips cost me $19 at Sams with rebate. SA cost me $45 on a supposed internet deal for users.

I think it is going back.

[Rog0525]

John, have you tried MAPQUEST ?
Free maps and thorough directions to anywhere in the USA.
Good site. Great price.

Rog

[Pahaska]

Originally posted by Rog0525
John, have you tried MAPQUEST ?
Free maps and thorough directions to anywhere in the USA.
Good site. Great price.

Rog

Yes, I have tried MAPQUEST long ago and discarded it as pretty useless.

To see if MAPQUEST had improved recently, I just entered my next trip into MAPQUEST and got a routing that is much longer than either Street Atlas or Streets and Trips and would take me unnecessarily through congested areas.

You get what you pay for. IMHO, MAPQUEST gives you a ballpark estimate and that is about all it is good for.

[apple 1]

According to Mapquest the Brighton Borders is at the end of my street, which is about 5 miles from the real location. After 2003 Street Atlas which had several new streets in our area in the wrong location I decided not to bother with the 2004 version. I use it only to rough out a trip then finalize it on real maps to check the routing as they have a habit routing on service drives and into congested areas. I also still order TripTicks from AAA for every trip.
Jim

[Rog0525]

When I went to the southern burbs of Pittsburgh to pick up my Caravel early in July, I used Mapquest to pinpoint the street address and printed out the map.
Their driving directions would have routed me through downtown and the Lincoln Tunnel. I opted instead to use the I-79 bypass and missed the heavy congestion, thank goodness.
Cinsidering that the site is free, I find it worth the price.

BTW Jim, I was in Brighton earlier today for a family get together.
My nephew owns an electrical contracting company there.
Beautiful area.

Rog

[Pick]

Microsoft MapPoint 2002 is a real "gem", too. Our town square has no label. It's label is on an intersection a couple of miles out of town. Some towns don't even exist, such as Bowers, PA. A lot of roads that have names are just numbered also. All for the low, low price of $295.

I think DeLorme Street Atlas 6.0 was/is the best.

[Pahaska]

I liked the Street Atlas a lot better before they changed the user interface. Unfortunately, I passed the old version to my daughter before I found out how much I disliked the new interface. It is totally non-intuitive now.

The reason that things like Mapquest are pretty useless, in my opinion, is that they don't allow you to use your own or a friend's knowledge to plan a route. For instance, a brand new traffic light put in within the last few weeks makes a major difference in the route I will take out of Austin because it solved a major safety problem while towing. Another example is the instruction I received from my brother to take a different exit than the apparently shorter route to get to his farm. No way you can factor these things into Mapquest.

[Fun-Lovin]

I have used Delorme steet atlas 6 and it seems ok.
Currently I am using my Garmin 76map with Mapsource Metroguide but the drawback is I can only load a few areas.

Greg

[garry]

I also liked the older version of Street Atlas. 8.0 was the last old style interface.
I now use Street Atlas 2003 to plan a trip and then use Map Create to program my Lowrance GPS.

Garry