Good Mapping & Travel Software?

[AK_Aaron]

not sure if anyone here uses this, but i'm currently planning a trip through the lower 48 next summer and was looking into some tavel & mapping software for my laptop. So far looking up on Amazon i see Microsoft Streets & Travel 2005 and Delorme Mapping Street Atlas USA 2005 as my two options. Has anyone used either of the above and have any advice? the comments on Amazon about both seemed mixed so i was looking to you all for any help :) i'm hoping to get a GPS to possibly go with it as well. thanks for your time and help everyone.

[Mark Sedenquist]

About half of the regular posters on this forum use MS Streets and Tips, if you write to Moderator Bob I am sure he can provide some tips about using it.

Our impressions of this software and others are also online.

[Robert Schaller]

I find MS Streets and Trips easy to use for initial trip planning, but I do not use GPS at present so don't have any experience with its capabilities in that regard -- on the road, it's just me and an old-technology fold-up state map!

"Boston Wrangler" uses the Delorme software, and he DOES use GPS and perhaps he will kick in here and give his expert opinion... Boston? Meanwhile, if you use the search function with some key words you can probably find his earlier posts on the topic without too much trouble. Bob

[Utahtea]

I'm still using MS Streets and Trips 2001 and I just love it. I just got the new 2005 version at Costco and after rebates only paid $4.99! One of the rebates has expired, but you can still get it for $14.99 after a rebate. I haven't even loaded it onto my computer yet! That's one of todays projects.

I also have Rand McNally Tripmaker 1996, Delorme Street Atlas version 5.0 and Megaellan MapSend Streets USA version 1.0. I didn't mind Tripmaker but found Delorme & Magaellan much harder to use than MS Streets and Trips.

MS Streets & Trips does work with our Magellan GPS. We've played around with it at home, but haven't used it traveling yet.

Utahtea

[Boston Wrangler]

"Boston Wrangler" uses the Delorme software, and he DOES use GPS and perhaps he will kick in here and give his expert opinion... Boston?

That's right Bob! I like the DeLorme Street Atlas USA software, which came with a GPS transceiver for about $100 around this time last year. You can find some good opinions (and about as "heated" of a debate as you'll see on this forum ;) ) in this thread: Click here

I've spattered some screen shots of the DeLorme software in various posts, including this one: Click here This isn't a full screen shot, but rather just the map portion.

That's it from here for now. Darrell signing off. Back to you Bob!

[Robert Schaller]

I also have the 2005 version of MS Streets and Trips -- but I liked my older version BETTER -- the only difference that mattered to me was the ability in the old model to specifically choose your speed -- in the 2005 update, you can now select "average," or faster or slower than average (with a sliding bar scale). But you have no idea WHAT that speed is. That's not an improvement in my opinion, although for practical application, the times still seem to work on the road. Bob

[AK_Aaron]

ah well thanks for all the advice folks! i'll pitch into the local store and see what they have but the DeLorme GPS package sounds preety promising to me at the moment. well only one way to find out and thanks again. i'm sure i'll have questions in the future and i'll make sure to use the search function next time :) but if you have any questions about the AK anytime, feel free to message me and ask away.