Microsoft MapPoint

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Microsoft MapPoint
Basic data

developer Microsoft Corporation
Current  version MapPoint 2013 (Windows)
operating system Windows ; Viewer for Windows Mobile
License Proprietary
German speaking Yes
www.microsoft.com/mappoint

Microsoft MapPoint is a program from Microsoft that enables the interactive use of maps .

In the summer of 2014 it was announced that the software manufacturer had decided to discontinue the AutoRoute, Streets & Trips and MapPoint products on December 31, 2014. Current users can still plan their trips with AutoRoute, Streets & Trips and MapPoint, and online support can be used until at least July 14, 2015.

history

Mark Atherton and Ian Mercer started a map software project in the UK in 1988. Together with Simon Anthony, Michael Biscoe-Taylor and George Roussopolos they founded NextBase Limited, but also worked on other projects on the side. The first version of AutoRoute took them just under seven months. In the late 1980s, most software products were text-based and distributed on floppy disks; AutoRoute stood out for its focus on graphics alone. The beta version was distributed to a few journalists and spread. Based on positive feedback from initial users, the team expanded sales of the product from the UK to France, the Netherlands and eventually the United States. Microsoft bought Nextbase in 1994 and the team relocated to the United States.

“These products would never have been so successful if their loyal followers had not acquired the product and the various iterations of it for years. I've been to numerous RV rallies over the years and have always enjoyed talking to our enthusiastic customers about their experiences planning great RV trips across North America. The feedback and enthusiasm of our users have contributed to the nearly twenty years of market leadership for travel planning software from Microsoft. "

- Larry Petersen : Test Leader for Microsoft Streets & Trips

scope of application

MapPoint is primarily aimed at business customers. It contains the full functionality of Microsoft AutoRoute , is also integrated into Microsoft Office and allows the integration of map data from various sources, e.g. B. from Microsoft Excel .

The MapPoint technology is used in:

The current version is MapPoint 2013. For research and teaching, there is also an academic version that is not released for commercial use.

The software is only available for Windows PCs, but a smaller, slimmed-down viewer called Pocket Streets is included for Windows Mobile devices (such as Pocket PC and MS Smartphone ).

alternative

As an alternative for the future, Microsoft recommends its Bing Maps, which contains much of the technology from MapPoint and AutoRoute. Alternatively, various solutions can be found in the commercial as well as in the free area, which also allow the use of offline maps, e.g. OpenStreetMap . A list can be found in categories: OSGeo project and Wikipedia: Map workshop / Help / Programs .

literature

  • Dirk Grasekamp, ​​Iris Frech, Kai Frech: Geomarketing with Microsoft MapPoint - A practice-oriented introduction to Business Geographics. Microsoft Press, Unterschleißheim 2007, ISBN 978-3-86645-624-2 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ History of MapPoint on microsoft.com; online on the Internet: August 9, 2014
  2. ↑ History of MapPoint on microsoft.com; online on the Internet: August 9, 2014
  3. ↑ Microsoft will discontinue MapPoint and AutoRoute at the end of the year on zdnet.de; online on the Internet: September 3, 2015