Software Review of:
Street Atlas USA 
version 7.0 

It comes on two CD’s — one for installation and one for maps and normal use. I thought this was a bit unusual until I got into the program installation. Folks, installing this program is easy but — it sure can take a lot of space since the new version has over three million points of interest plus over 800,000 place names. The installation options take time to consider and to use. 

First, complete installation takes about 257 MB of hard drive space. There are ways to cut that down considerably and I’ll tell you about them in just a minute. 

Your first decision (besides folder name, etc) is to decide if you need to be able to send some of the maps and directions to a hand held device. You have a choice between Palm Computing and/or Windows CE 2.0. You don’t have to make the choice if you don’t have either type of device and you can always run the install program later if you need to. 

Then you must decide whether to go with the full installation or a custom one. A custom installation allows you to select those states that you would most commonly use and to install the points of interest just for those states. I selected 9 states and that cut the Installation down to only 89 MB. I can always come back later and add more if I need them. 

Points of Interest are great - you have 5 different categories 

• Business
• Parks
• Education and Technology
• Government
• Religious

Time to install goes up dramatically as you select in/out on the custom installation. It took 22 minutes to install the points of interest for the 9 states whereas the full installation is over in about three minutes. 

Once everything is installed the fun begins. You have more choices (this is not a program for someone that can’t make up their mind) since the program allows for four types of routes to be selected, calculated and printed. 

I used my brother-in-laws house in Hixton, Wisconsin as a target. The scenic route meandered throughout Texas, Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin for a total of 1312 miles and an estimated driving time of 25 hours. The preferred route depended much more on the Interstate system and was 1311 miles and 23 hours. The shortest was 1242 miles and took 28 hours (I would hate to drive on some of the roads it indicated - small, country roads that twisted all over the place). The routing took me to his door without a miscue. 

You have many options and I strongly urge you to start with the tutorial as it nicely shows you the major options and gives you an indication of what you’re involved with. 

If you have a GPS (Global Positioning Satellite receiver) device you are going to be in hog heaven. Just load the program into a notebook computer, hook up the GPS and it will take you by the hand and get you to your destination. It will even recognize when you have deviated from the route and will get you back on course — and you won’t have to ask the gas station guy how to find your way. 

Ah, gas stations — you position the cursor at the exit on an interstate highway and click. Behold, you now know what services are available at that location. Part of the secret is to go online to DeLorme and get the latest updates for your routes before you start driving. It told me that IH-35 was under a lot of construction between San Antonio and Austin! 

You have several print options and the nicest was to print out a travel package. This set of maps (oriented toward the North) contains a clearly marked map with turns and compass directions indicated. The program defaults to 300 miles per map if appropriate but that can be changed by you when you are ready to print. Each turn is clearly marked and you have directions on each page covering that page. The 1300+ miles were listed on 8 pages but the first and last were much more detailed showing the turns from my neighborhood to the Interstate and showing the last two miles to the destination. 

You have the ability to use this program to get down to the street level of detail by clicking on the appropriate button. You can print Individual maps and you can also send them over the Internet as well — great for out of town guests visiting you for the first time. 

If you are going to be visiting a strange city you have the ability to download to a laptop just that area for you to use to navigate around town. You can have the display show you all sorts of places from shopping malls to cemeteries to ice cream stores. Something for everyone! 

The program retails for approximately $49 but you can get it for less either through Parsons Technology or by taking advantage of a loss leader at CompUSA or other fine software stores. You can order it at <www.delorme.com> as well if you wish. 

This program is valuable and I urge you to get it before you make the summer drives. The fact that you can get the radio frequencies for your favorite network makes it even better since you can tune the dial ahead of time and avoid the "discussion" in the car. Go for it and drive safely — we value you!