Review: Microsoft Streets and Trips 2011

Ken:

I followed the link you posted about what people would like to see added to S&T.
I didn't see this one so I would like to add that I would like to see the ability to have more than ONE trip on the individual S&T file; like you can do on Map Source.
Regards, Mike Flannigan

What would make S&T an outstanding product would be the inclusion of layers like CAD programs have where you can select what layer or layers you want to see at one time. Examples of use: 1. Primary route on one layer with route alternatives of other layers that can be shown or hidden at will. 2. Various types of POIs and their pushpins on different layers, e.g., fuel, restaurants, rest areas, etc. That way, for example, if I am looking for fuel options, I don't have to wade through a myriad (at that point) of irrelevant pushpins to find where I want to stop.

If all I want to see are gas stations, I click on find nearby places, turn off all of the choices, and then turn on gas stations only, and then set the distance from where I am that I am willing to look at. I do not need layers for that... it is really quick and simple to do it via that routine.

"Nearby places" doesn't work for me for a number of reasons. 1. Without a navigator: a. The text is too small b. The icons are too small 2. I try to look ahead, and not just hope for the best when I anticipate needing fuel, food, or rest. I like to know if I should stop now or if there are better options a little further along.

@RsH It's gotta be a Navteq bug. I have a Garmin nüvi which uses Navteq data. I was driving around Toronto last Fall with it and it kept sending me back on and off the 401 and 403 when it was absolutely unnecessary. Many times around North York I only needed to go a few miles, and it would try to get me onto the 401 when I could have just taken Sheppard all the way. I followed it once onto the 401 and then literally at the next exit (like 15-20 seconds later!) it instructed me to take the next ramp. So I just ignored it after that and the auto-reroute feature kicked in and it was like, "Oh, okay, I can play it like that, too". Too bad it can't remember my preferred alternate route and use that the next time I go in the same direction.

I'll offer a bet. Microsoft has decided to drop Streets and Trips but figured it could get people to upgrade one more time before they dropped it. How else can you explain the fact they tossed 2011 out the door - many months later than usual - without even minimal compatibility testing (PUSH PINS, ANYONE)?

How much are you willing to bet? If you lose, will you buy a copy of Microsoft Streets and Trips 2012 to every member of Laptop GPS World who will ask you for one?

I guess that would depend on what you offer if I am right?

Just downloaded and purchased the new 2011 Streets and Trips , but it took 4 hours to download at the campground [wifi] I am at. This was my 4th try to download over the last month and after looking in every Best Buy and Sam's Club going north, I decided to try the download one more time.

The price was right - $24.95 + tax, but during the last several minutes of the download, I was on my knees - praying it would not cancel out - and my prayers were answered!

Just downloaded the new Megafile - thanks to Larry and the crew at Microsoft for keeping this going.

I tried to convert one file at 1 a.m. this morning, but it looked like it was going to take awhile.

Tom

I have been using Streets & Trips for over 10 years now and this is the first I have seen your forum. I am truly impressed at the wealth of info available here, however as I recently bought the 2011 version to upgrade from my 2008 version I was shocked at the extensive changes in the format and operation. I only use S&T for route planning usually 6 month, 12,000 mile trips each summer. For driving I still use my Garmin StreetPilot 2720. (There are no problems with the Garmin, BTW.)

My chief complaint with the 2011 are the terrible pushpin markers! The pushpins on the 2008 were bright and clearly defined whereas these are fuzzy and of varying colors making them very hard to distinguish from one another. Is there any kind of fix for this?

I usually used the "backup" arrow frequently and found it handy but it looks like that is gone. Is there something that I don't know here?

I didn't like the change in the scan/select procedure but I guess I will learn to live with that.

I downloaded the MegaFile and it is incredible, but way too much info, is there an easier way to cut out some of the things I will never use?

Thanks for whatever help you can give me.

George

I can't help with the rest of your questions but you can make your own version of the POI Megafile. It's assembled from information that is freely available on the web, mostly from the companies themselves. If you search for something like "[company name] POI" or similar, you should get what you need.

Or you can register at POI Friend and/or POI Factory. They are free to use and contain zillions of POI files. It's pretty easy to search for the ones you want. Some of the files are built and maintained by individuals but many companies have taken to publishing and updating their own now. I am registered at both because each has some the other does not.

...ken...

One nice feature in S&T introduced in 2010 and is also in 2011 is the ability to hide/unhide pushpin sets. I suggest you look into this because, without out this functionality, all the Mega pushpins are completely unmanageable as it seems you have already discovered.

The other thing you can do is delete pushpins that are geographically irrelevant to your needs. If you do a search on this forum or look at the built-in Help file, you can pick up some tips on how to do that.

I find the best thing to do with the Mega file, however, is to use it as reference file only. That is, copy only those POI pushpins from the Mega file into some other file of your own (perhaps an SST file) to keep the pushpin population manageable on your own terms. Planning a 12,000-mile trip in the Mega file would surely result in some sort of overload either in your laptop or when you try to download it to your Garmin.

Thanks for the tips, Spades, I will be trying these out this week... so much to learn!!!

Regards, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ George

And thanks for your tips Ken, I will certainly look into making my own POI file. Sounds like a good idea...

Regards,~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~George