From: Steve Grammont (islander@midmaine.com)
Date: Tue Aug 27 2002 - 17:44:01 PDT
>I believe I opened the nice atlas I got at WalMart a few years ago for $4
>and just followed the routes everywhere I wanted to go for 50000 miles and
>never checked the internet...am I missing something.??? RAM
Yup :-) Try looking up a tiny street in Nowhere USA and see what that
map tells you about it. Unless you have a highly detailed city/region
specific map, you will likely be SOL. Internet based map searches have
the following advantages over paper based ones:
1. The ability to give exact driving instructions, including distance
and quirks (like "bear to the right" and taking into account 1 way
streets), from any two points anywhere in the US (or other countries for
that matter). No matter how small the road or town, it is in there.
Imagine how many rooms full of printed maps you would need to have on
hand for that :-)
2. The directions can be printed out for easy refference by driver or
"navigator". Try doing that with a map! Especially when it doesn't show
cross streets or perhaps even the street you are on to begin with.
Now, I have nothing against printed maps. In fact, we here in Maine are
practically required by State Law to carry around at least two copies of
The Blue Bible (DeLorme's Maine Atlas). But when you want to find a tiny
street in a tiny town center not worthy of a blow up... can't beat the
Internet. Just use some common sense when looking at its choice of major
route choices, especially in rural areas. However, the Internet is not a
replacement since you can't do directions on the fly unless you are a
REAL techno weenie :-P
MV content... well, I don't have any so sue me :-)
Steve
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