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David Morgenstern
Lost and found: YOU pick the best mapping software

David Morgenstern
Contributing Editor, AnchorDesk
Tuesday, June 18, 2002
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There's little agreement about the origins of the expression, "No matter where you go, there you are." Some think it started with Shakespeare. Others point to 1980's cult-movie hero Buckaroo Banzai. But no matter who coined the phrase, it seems a peculiarly apt summation of last week's TalkBack discussion about digital mapping software.

My colleague David Coursey kicked off the discussion with a column about mapping and GPS software. While he wrote that he's a big fan of National Geographic's Topo! mapping program, he said he needed to do a more rigorous side-by-side comparison before he could come to any definitive conclusions.

Many of you were more than happy to steer him in the right direction. Among the more notable responses:

  • Margaret Maizel appreciated the software and services from Maptrails, including State Explorer-BLM Edition, GeoQUAD, and Alaska Explorer.

    "It's used mostly for recreation, but with far broader uses--for example, you can plot a trail on the elevation base and then see your (continuous) elevation in a transect of topography. Yes, you can download streets and find yourself that-a-way." READ THE FULL TALKBACK.

  • Scott Lynch described Maptech's Terrain Navigator application as "a very nice package."

    "As far as features go, Terrain Navigator beats both the Topo! and DeLorme packages. The company also has a whole slew of marine products. If they're half as good as the Terrain versions, then they have my recommendation."

  • Rik Pierce found an additional use for the copy of Microsoft Expedia Streets & Trips that came with his laptop.

    "It wasn't until I discovered that I could interface it with my Garmin GPS and have it show a little car moving down the road where I was driving that it really came into real use. I used to get very lost when driving alone."

    "Now when I'm going somewhere, I plug my GPS into the laptop and fire up the Streets & Trips. Should I miss some turn I can pull over, zoom in on the map detail, figure the best way to get back to the green route line, and I'm off." READ THE FULL TALKBACK.

  • Rory Cartwright wrote that Thomas Bros. Maps offers a digital edition for several states and municipal areas.

    "I used the Thomas Bros. map books for 20 years as a police/fire dispatcher--I wouldn't leave home without one. Although limited on the cities they cover, they are the best at what they do. And the digital version is just swell!" READ THE FULL TALKBACK.

  • Jim Yowell raved over TravRoute's CoPilot GPS software.

    "CoPilot is the best I have ever seen, if you are trying to find virtually ANY address in the continental United States. It is not only EXTREMELY accurate, but talks to you and accepts voice commands, giving real-time, DOOR-TO-DOOR directions. It automatically recalculates routes if you miss a turn, allowing you to edit your trip on the fly." READ THE FULL TALKBACK.

  • Richard Neubauer complained about devolution in maps.

    "I have been a longtime user of DeLorme maps, but after buying Version 8 I gave up and threw it out, and went back to Version 5. The [Version 8] maps are not true, and have a lot of errors such as incomplete road and streets." READ THE FULL TALKBACK.

  • Dave Olson offered an explanation for some map inaccuracies.

    "The problem with some of these products and TopoZone.com too, is that they are using old USGS maps. The one for my home address is identical to my Quadrangle map, which was updated in 1980. Not too useful when the street you are looking for was put in 18 or 19 years ago."

David Morgenstern, past editor of eMediaweekly and MacWEEK, is a freelance editor and branding consultant based in San Francisco.

What do you think? Which mapping programs do you like? Any you hate? Go to TalkBack!

Be our guest!  Have something important to say about technology? Here's your chance to share an in-depth essay with the AnchorDesk audience. Submit a piece of 500 to 1,000 words, and we might feature you as an AnchorDesk guest columnist in an upcoming edition. Click here to send us a submission, or e-mail your essay to editors@anchordesk.com. (Read the terms and conditions for your submission.)

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