I miss Streets and Trips

[WorldCat25]

Originally Posted by Alan_Hepburn

My point was that many of us like the tools that S&T offers, the most important one being that it's an off-line tool - NO internet connection needed.

I also like non-cell dependent GPS and programs. In fact, I still have an old work computer which has MapPoint (commerical version of Streets) which I take with me. Best planning tool ever. Wish I didn't have to have 2 laptops along.

[F76Marion]

For many years, my job description said "Navigator". We now travel by coach. Much of where we like to travel does not have effective cell coverage even with an external antenna and a 3werp repeater. Sometimes I have wondered if we had GPS coverage ....
I ran both S&T and SA at different times. I am still running a copy of 2015SA, but the charts are terrible. It is a killer for planning.
Recently, I discovered Furkot.com. They were free and were good for planning. (They may longer be free because Google Maps got weird on them.) But it is still useless for enroute navigation.
I have just started trying to use the small package of CoPilot, enroute is what it does (via extra GPS) but it lacks a lot for planning.
I have written to both Google (like they care) and Garmin (that bought out Delorme)and the crickets have been deafening.

Back to paper charts and dividers.....

Frank

[jerichorick]

I wish to thank you all for joining in and expressing your thoughts on this topic. Here is the letter that I composed to Microsoft. Please feel free to use it as is, edited appropriately with your information, or simply as a guide.


Friday, June 15, 2018
Microsoft
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052-6399


Richard Young
xxxxxxx
xxxxxxxx
Sioux Falls, SD 57103

To whom it may concern.

Dear Microsoft,

I am one of thousands of long time supporters of Microsoft. I have used your operating systems since DOS was replaced with Windows 95. Many of your software products, and those of your supporting venders enhanced my PC experiences over these many years.

In 2005 I joined a RVing volunteer organization; Servants on Wheels Ever Ready. This ministry has affiliations all over the US and several in Canada. In my first years of traveling I tried several different GPS programs on my laptop. This rides on the dash of my class A RV. None seemed to work well, getting me lost or bringing my big coach into RV unfriendly roadways.

One day I happened upon Microsoft Streets and Trips. Though it was not perfect, I found the planning features and navigation much more robust and reliable than any other similar product on the market. Unfortunately for me, and thousands of travelers like me, including truck drivers, Microsoft chose to abandon further production this great program with the 2013 update.

Recently I started a thread on the irv2 forum concerning the loss of Streets and Trips and how this has had a great negative impact on out navigation abilities and trip planning versatility. Here is the link: http://www.irv2.com/forums/f42/i-mis...ps-395794.html.

To whomever is reading this letter, please pass it on to the appropriate parties. We, and I am boldly speaking for all who desire Streets and Trips to be revived, respectively plea with you to give us back this great tool. Consider it as a good will gesture of thanks toward all of the great folks who struggled in support of Microsoft as it grew into the giant it is today.

Sincere thanks for taking the time to read my letter and for passing it on to the appropriate authority to review and thoughtfully consider.

Best Regards,





The format rendering did not copy over to here well from Word. Sorry about that.

[Dale & Mark Bruss]

You can write Microsoft all you want but the reality for Streets & Trips, and Street Atlas USA, is they are gone because because of erosion of the market to "free" Google maps no matter what feature content was not there.

It costs to keep map databases to be current and if you don't sell enough to cover the costs, the product gets dropped. Delorme made the same decision.

Unfortunately, too many make purchase decisions totally on cost with any regard to the capabilities. We all have our limits. Would you pay $100 for a new version of S&T?

[sdennislee]

Unfortunately, I can promise you MS doesn't care, the money is not there for them apparently.

They have an online platform called User Voice. Its for active MS software, users post, comments, questions, suggestions, etc supposedly to help MS make their products better. I can remember being dumb enough and naive enough to actually take time to post to User Voice for OneNote. Nothing has ever changed and some the missing tools in OneNote have been commented on and asked for by thousands of end users. Bottom line is it costs money to make changes and people are still buying OneNote with its many faults, why change/EBITDA will not change for the positive as cost will exceed return on an incremental basis.

S&T is no longer active, huge costs would be seen in updating the programming to run on today's systems, maintaining the databases, etc...

I used it many years ago when it was cutting edge and I would use it again for planning.

For MS its just business, they have to ask themselves how will this contribute to the bottom line, what margin will it contribute, does it align with our goals, etc... I am a business man myself and nothing would make me happier than to give my clients everything they wanted unfortunately that would put me out of business. Business have one objective make money to satisfy shareholders.

I applaud your initiative, if you don't try you can't win. Just don't get your hopes up.

You may have better success in convincing the makers of RV Trip Wizard to add the features you are missing when compared to S&T since Trip Wizard is an active piece of software. They may see it as an opportunity to gain market share by fulfilling a need in an underserved market.

[Santa_Claus]

Probably more productive to ask those still in the game to support our favorite features.

[jerichorick]

Originally Posted by sdennislee

Unfortunately, I can promise you MS doesn't care, the money is not there for them apparently.

They have an online platform called User Voice. Its for active MS software, users post, comments, questions, suggestions, etc supposedly to help MS make their products better. I can remember being dumb enough and naive enough to actually take time to post to User Voice for OneNote. Nothing has ever changed and some the missing tools in OneNote have been commented on and asked for by thousands of end users. Bottom line is it costs money to make changes and people are still buying OneNote with its many faults, why change/EBITDA will not change for the positive as cost will exceed return on an incremental basis.

S&T is no longer active, huge costs would be seen in updating the programming to run on today's systems, maintaining the databases, etc...

I used it many years ago when it was cutting edge and I would use it again for planning.

For MS its just business, they have to ask themselves how will this contribute to the bottom line, what margin will it contribute, does it align with our goals, etc... I am a business man myself and nothing would make me happier than to give my clients everything they wanted unfortunately that would put me out of business. Business have one objective make money to satisfy shareholders.

I applaud your initiative, if you don't try you can't win. Just don't get your hopes up.

You may have better success in convincing the makers of RV Trip Wizard to add the features you are missing when compared to S&T since Trip Wizard is an active piece of software. They may see it as an opportunity to gain market share by fulfilling a need in an underserved market.

You know that MS spends big bucks on advertising their many products. S&T will cost far less to put back on the market and benefit so many supporters of MS. Let it simply be a good will gesture on their part.



Please, wast a sheet of paper, a stamp and envelope. Join in on this voice to MS. There was and is not any method of open range navigation as dependable and useful as Streets and Trips. I have tried many of the "recommended" methods. They are simply not practical for truly safe and convenient point to point RVing.


Rick

[Eez Moose]

All they have to do is host a map update site so we can get construction information and maps as required. Our unit is used as a guidance system via the DeLorme Earthmaye LT-40 sat receiver. I too feel MS goofed by not offering map support.

[Jayco1]

I also still use Streets & Trips 2013. I like that it is a stand along map program it is my hope that one day they will come out with program.


I will send a letter also.

[markyodo]

Hey everyone I saw this thread and wanted to offer an option. We have used S&T and the past couple years we have used Furkot (free). It should check off 99% of your wish list. We use it for lots of trip planning and it's worth a look.
It also works offline with some planning.
It calculate costs, overnight stops, multi-day travel, weather, reservations, and all the normal travel stuff but it's based on your travel hours and trip settings.

https://help.furkot.com/features/mob...offline-access

In January they added the RV park reviews to their POI DB which is similar to RV Trip Wizzard.
Safe travels.

[chuckbear]

I tried Furcot and all it did was crash my Windows computer. Chuck

[2Amy]

Originally Posted by Alan_Hepburn

Is there any way to retrieve a lost activation key? I had a hard drive crash a few years ago and lost the activation key for my S&T 2013 - it still runs fine on this laptop, but I can't move it to another machine without the key...

yes I can help you if you haven't already got it. PM me
2Amy

[Jayco1]

I also use Streets & Trips 2013.

I like that it is a stand along map program.

It is my hope that one day they will come out with a up to date program.


I have sent a letter to Microsoft telling them this and I hope others will also.

I don't have a smart phone and do not wont one.

I would like to thank jerichorick for proving me with a address for Microsoft.



Microsoft
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052-6399

[ByeTheWay]

Streets and Trips was nice!! I now use BaseCamp by Garmin which I find just as easy. And it is Free.