[TennesseeSmith]

Microsoft to discontinue vintage mapping services MapPoint and Streets & Trips | WinBeta

History

Microsoft has joined Apple in that crazy world where everyone has instant and constant high bandwidth internet connections. MS is killing Streets & Trips and asking us to use Bing Maps.

For years I've been able to open up a laptop in some remote campground and study the local maps with Streets & Trips. That will no longer be possible without an internet connection.

I love to take off on a trip with a general plan and work out the details as I go. That just got a lot tougher. Instead of a small laptop that fits in a saddle bag, I'll need a trailer full of paper maps. Or I can just spend a lot miles trying to get unlost. This will be like the '70s again.

 

[bob]

I've decided and have ended up using my Garmin Nuvi 550 for some planning. Some of the campgrounds I go to have WiFi somewhere on the grounds. I recently changed my phone plan and now have the ability to use my phone as a hotspot for no extra charge. So then I can use my WiFi only Nexus tablet to browse Google maps, provided I get a cell signal, or if I find WiFi at the campground. I also do have Garmin's Mapsource that will still work without Internet. Almost all the software makers have come to expect everyone to be constantly connected to the Internet all the time. I guess it's get up to date or do without. The only other option left to us is the paper route. I've been "off" micro$oft for some years now anyway. Never did get into Apple either. I use Linux on my laptop and Android on my phone and tablet. I do carry a few paper maps for "just in case" situations.

 

[csdexter]

(...) I guess it's get up to date or do without.(...)

For technical completeness, we have to mention the existence of OpenStreetMap along with at least half a dozen offline-mapping applications for Android that, as the name suggests, work without any data connection.

Also, Google's own Maps app for Android supports local caching (you can select a map portion and tell it to take a snapshot of the data involved so that it can be used off-line).

Finally, a good paper map beats any computer-based one (and I say that being a tech geek myself), especially if it's printed on laminated paper (i.e. waterproof) ;-)

 

[coneye]

Mmmm . Call me old fashioned call me dumb , but personaly i like maps, the internet is good it can give you a real good birds eye view ,but once on the road, i can recall my gps sending me out of my way by 50-60 klm and had me going for 30-40 klm on a unsealed dirt road , fully laden with the missis on the back , riding a 400 kilo tourer , on a 45 degree day (celsius). I never trust it completly now .

Internet gps ect , to me its like learning to use a calculater but never learning what 3 plus 3 equals ... I'm going where i don't know give me a map .