The end of paper maps?

[spyboy]

According to this article, paper maps are going the way of the buggy whip.

I understand that for cars (with indash gps, or suction cup models) but there's still a lot of importance in carrying a paper map, they don't need batteries!

http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/...usiness_o.html

[Bill O]

You can't stick thumb tacks in a computer screen. I'm sticking with paper.

Remember when newspapers were going away?

[spyboy]

I'm still waiting for AOL to go away. And low-definition TV

K

[Brad]

What is a paper map? We have not used them in years. If we need detailed directions or a map, we print off that portion we need from Delorme's Street Atlas.

[Mike D]

It's terrific Monday-morning quarterbacking on my part, I just wonder why a company whose employees foresaw its demise would not have moved some of its eggs to a different basket. IBM would have been a long-forgotten adding machine company if they hadn't adapted to new technologies. DeLorme has all kinds of GPS and GIS products, without which I doubt they would be a profitable company.

As an aside, IBM was into real estate for a time and also made rifles during WWII. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History...es_of_business

[mtruman]

As much as I love the electronic versions I'll neve give up paper for the trail. I tried a new method for the first time last summer which involved printing or copying the section of the map for the days hike with the route marked and turns noted and then laminating it in a small pouch so that it was weatherproof and pocket sized. Much better that pulling the full map out and unfolding/refolding it all the time. Still always bring the GPS as well although I use that as much for keeping an electronic record of the hike as for direction finding along the way. And as was noted by others here, the paper map can't run out of power. Anyone who goes out with just a GPS is asking for trouble...

[spyboy]

I'm a definite gadget freak, but I know better than to solely rely on technology. Yes a gps is small, fast, can contain more maps than you could carry, and shows you where you are on the map (although I always remind people that a gps can tell you where you are when you're lost but not always tell you how to get to civilization).

Even in long road trips, I'll first plan my route on my computer, using google maps, earth, etc. I'll then print out some details (like confusing highway arteries where you need to be in the left land for the exit). I'll then transfer any points of interest to my car gps (it's a little portable unit) and then go on my trips. Most of the time I never refrence my printed maps, but it's always nice to have that detail available if needed. I'd like to think I have a pretty good internal navigation system (ok, not a compass, but I can remember directions fairly well) so usually just reviewing a top down map of my route beforehand is enough to get me through an area.

And in the urban canyons such as Boston, gps's don't work that well, and the signal reflection can cause some pretty wide margin of error (I was on a side street next to the elevated part of I-93, and the gps thought I was up on the highway and was telling me to get off at the next exit to turn around, when all I had to do was go under the highway and head the other way. Referencing maps ahead of time was helpful instead of blindly following the gps.

And gps's (at least current ones) don't know the bad areas of town to avoid (hmmm, maybe a gps that can pull crime statistics and then generate a thematic map to "push" you around the bad spots...sounds like something they'd do on the show Numb3rs)

Kirk

[Patrad Fischroy]

Just a notice of a new product in the same vein

http://spatialnews.geocomm.com/daily.../24/news5.html

nothing earth shattering, but with the trails database, it may be of interest to some here.

[Brad]

I have used the Delorme TopoUSA product for several years. The new version looks interesting but I have not upgraded to version 7 yet.

The software does road as well as trail routing. Lots of Points of Interest. Topo maps and other stuff. Routes and maps can be downloaded to GPS units. It is another option to look at.

http://shop.delorme.com/OA_HTML/DELi...minisite=10020

[billysinc]

We're men, we don't need to be told how to get somewhere, we'll find it ....................eventually.