Review: Microsoft Streets and Trips 2011

They are already aware of the problem at this location in Toronto from an earlier message in this particular thread, and it was specifically pointed out to them. Since the roads are on the map visually but cannot be driven over using the routing, the database has somehow not connected the two adjacent segments. The real problem is that once they go 'Gold' with their maps in S&T they cannot change the database until the next year's version. It was fine in the 2010 Streets & Trips, but NOT fine in the 2011 version, and now it shows up also in their Bing maps, so clearly that too uses the same database. The Bing database likely will be fixed faster, but that will not help those strangers to Toronto who do not know the roads. Those of us who do know the roads will simply ignore this problem, and I could supply a GPS track from OTHER GPS units that would show the correct way to go quite easily, but that is not the point. Getting the product database corrected is the point. It is now in MS' ballpark. They KNOW it is broken at this point!

Hi RsH,

When you say that Microsoft "knows", is that because you have notified them directly of the problem through the Send Map Feedback or similar method?

Simply having it in a thread in here means less than nothing as far as Microsoft notification goes.

...ken...

They were informed by direct email to Larry from Marvin and definitely know as I have directly emailed them as well. I have also posted in their Blog with the same problems and they have moderated that and NOT published the problem, so I know that they know it from there as well.

Bob, Ken's suggestion is the best. For map errors, the built-in "Send map feedback" feature is the most appropriate. However, starting with the current 2011 version of Streets & Trips, that feature will notify Navteq, the map data supplier, directly, bypassing Microsoft, so I'm not certain if this is going to help in this particular situation.

I suspect this error happened in the process of Microsoft adding the Navteq's data to its product. The exact same error will unlikely happen the next time MS is adding new map data to the product. But that's just my guess.

It is very unfortunate that this particular error has affected several of Canada's busiest highway intersections.

I've used the internal map feedback for these errors as well as the messages in Larry's Blog for Streets and Trips and the messages here. All bases have been covered,but that does NOT mean that this issue will be repaired for 2011, as we all know. Since the database was fine for 2010, and there was NO change on those parts of the 401, QEW or 427, I have no idea if this was indeed 'new map data' being added to their product or just a screw up with old map data.

Bob, Microsoft adds fresh map data to Streets & Trips each time they release a new version. New version of Navteq's navigable map data is applied to the entire product, even to geographical areas where there has been no change to the road network, no new construction, etc.

Streets and Trips 2011, Oh What Could Have Been.

It seems to me that Microsoft has a team working on Streets and Trips that does just enough to get by. This product should be far more advanced than it is and for the number of years that it has been on the market it far lags behind other Microsoft products in terms of development. If I was the team lead on this product I would be kicking the staff in the ass on this as to why this product is not advancing at a much more dramatic and noticeable rate. It seems like Microsoft needs a fresh set of eyes looking at this product because for as long as it took the development team to get the product to market, the changes are minor.

It would have been great to have an open source version of S & T so that it could be integrated within other applications.

If I was the staff on this team I would be kicking the team lead's butt for not getting the necessary budget allocation to do more with it.

Seriously, for some reason The Powers That Be at Microsoft don't deem this particular product worthy of more budget. If there was, we would see more from it.

...ken...

Will not be buying MS Streets & Trips 2011 !!!

I was able to use the trial version last week on a spring break trip to New Orleans…

Did not see a whole lot of changes from the 2009 version I am using now.

My main problem is that it cannot find my home address. The 2009 and even the 2010 trail versions had no issue finding it.

If it cannot find my home address what other addresses cannot it find??

Hi yr2000, thanks for the feedback. Does it look like a search issue, or are house numbers missing from the street (mouse-click a place on the street to see a number), or is the street completely gone from the map?

Also, can you find the address in Bing maps?

Bill Gates does not use a GPS so he has no clue how bad it is...LOL
Or he uses Tom-Tom.

1. MapPoint 2011 has the SAME problems with the 401 and so clearly the issue is widespread. I tried the address of 4900 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON, Canada in MapPoint and it could not find that address. That just happens to be the Joseph Shepard Federal Building at Yonge Street and Elmhurst Avenue! UGH...So important addresses are not found, such as the Passport Office at 4900 Yonge Street.

That is because it is not in Toronto, according to the map. The one centered over the word, Toronto is in North York according to the look up. Less information may help you!

Terry

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Good catch, Terry. I wouldn't even notice, as Bob did, because I would normally just enter street number, street name, and hit the Enter-key, without any additional information (like city name, etc).