Grumpster

The difference between Microsoft Streets and Trips and DeLorme Street Atlas is like the difference between a cat and a mouse. Both have four legs and fur but the cat is definitely superior to the mouse. I've used both and rely almost exclusively on Street Atlas for about 140,000 to 150,000 miles of travel a year. I've used GPS navigation for about 1/2 million miles and can't do most of the stuff with Streets and Trips that I can with DeLorme. How do I claim to do so many miles? I'm a cross country truck driver. I routinely run from California to Florida and back, doing the round trip in 6 to 7 day's. As for Geocaching the better option is to use Topo USA along with Street Atlas for Pocket PC or Palm. Yes their compatible. You get turn by turn directions, multiple routes and a whole host of other features that you don't get with MS S&T. If your willing to spend so much money for a PDA, GPS, and all of your other hiking/geocaching equipment then the $30.00 for some VERY useful software shouldn't be a problem. Not having it is the problem for me at least but then again that's my two cents worth.

I'm a cross-country truck driver with well over a million miles experience. About 1/2 million of that has been with a computer in my truck with a heads up LCD display and full time GPS mapping. I've also been involved with back packing with the boy scouts and on my own in the High Sierras for a number of years in California as well as other parts of the country. My opinion, Delorme Street Atlas is the ONLY choice for "civilized" travel. ie: roads etc. This is the program I use in my truck. I love Topo USA also by DeLorme for back roads, hiking, cross country or just seeing what kind of terrain a area has. Topo is also capable of turn by turn directions but lacks some of the "advance" features that are useful in 3000 mile cross country trips that I often do. There is also a PDA version of Street Atlas (both palm and Pocket PC versions) that can use maps from either Street Atlas or Topo USA Check out the software at http://www.delorme.com. FWIW: No, I don't work for DeLorme nor am I in any way associated with them. I've purchased every copy of Street Atlas since version 2 and most versions of Topo USA. As much money as I've given them and as much as I tout their product you'd think I'd get something but I never have. Microsoft Maps: It'll do turn by turn routing but it will not tell you during your travels how far to your next stop, or finish. The miles on the routing are static. They show the same miles and time if your 10 miles away or 100 miles from final. It also don't let you do via's (make the program follow a chosen route) You can only use stops. That being said, MS Maps does have one bonus. It comes with a Pocket PC version of the software included on the disk. On extra purchase necessary. I still choose to stick with DeLorme my self. Rand McNally: The best truckers atlas on the market. I buy a new laminated copy each year. They need to stick to printed material. Their software SUCKS!!! The most awkward mapping program I've EVER had the miss fortune of using. I'll say nothing more about that. I'll probably get flamed any how for that comment. If your using a PDA for your geocaching there are a few other programs that are worth looking for the actual hunt it's self but there are more than enough threads here devoted to that topic. No since in my going into that. Especially since my experience in mostly in full computers and not Pocket PC's (I've never used a palm so I'm useless there). Anyhow that's my advice based on a lot of years chris crossing this great country of ours both by road and back country.