RE: [ot] Alternatives to AutoRoute?

["Andy Laurence" <andy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

From: Stephen [mailto:yahoo@xxxxxxx]
> What software do you recommend for route planning. A month or so ago I
> looked at MS AutoRoute which people say is the best, but I was told:
> 1. Autoroute 2004 does not have up-to-date maps (e.g. no M6 toll
opened
> in 2003) and
> 2. Autoroute 2005 will be out very shortly.

>From wqhat Ive seen so far, Autoroute is the best for creating routes
before you drive.

> Well AR 2005 is out now and reading the reviews, they say that AR 2005
> does not have up-to-date maps (e.g. no M6 toll still!) and that there
> is not much difference between the 04 and 05 versions.

The maps are *always* behind the times.  As far as I've seen, that's the
case for most mapping software.  It seems that building the road is quicker
than drawing the map :-/

> So, what can you recommend?
>
> BTW, I have got TomTom but I find it takes me silly ways. The problem
> is that since I use it on-the-fly, I don't know where it is taking me
> until it's too late. I really ought to check its route before hand. I
> thought a pc based solution would give me a second opinion on the
> route, and allow me to print out and check the route the night before,
> using a bigger screen than that of an ipaq!

I really don't rate TomTom at all.  Two engineers headed off to a site
yesterday with written instructions, and TomTom.  Despite being less than 3
hours away, they got lost and it took them 5 hours!  Surely that shouldn't
happen with the right mapping software!

> I understand that AR and others can be installed on a laptop and used
> with a gps, like TomTom. I think there are one or two that even give
> voice directions... but if I knew which those were, I wouldn't be
> asking ;)

Autoroute and GPS isn't particularly useful.  IIRC, I'm running 2004 here,
and that doesn't support automatic route recalculation.  So, if you stray
off route, the only indication you have is that your screen shows you off
the big green line.  The thing that's impressed me most so far has been the
sat nav as installed by Ford.  Sad, but true.  It's actually a Blaupunkt
TravelPilot.  I did get caught out by a road that had recently become one
way last month.  The only issue with that is that you need to have the CD
in to use the sat nav.  Not great if you have Classic FM on for the traffic
data!  Lets just say a CD changer is a pre-requisite!

Cheers,
Andy
--
http://www.andylaurence.co.uk