Paper Maps Crumpling

[eyerobic]

Paper maps crumpling in face of electronic onslaught

Michael Cabanatuan, Chronicle Staff Writer

 

Friday, October 12, 2007

 

These days, when it's time to hit the road, drivers are more likely to let a computer or GPS unit plot their journey than to pull out a paper road map.

read on . . .

 

 

 

I use google maps almost daily as I drive quite a bit for work.

But still carry my collection of (folding) City and County street maps for when I need to fly by the seat of my pants.

I'm "old school" but will consider changing if my boss buys us an iPhone.

 

Chris Moore

NJ Exit 7-A

[Larry F.]

But still carry my collection of (folding) City and County street maps for when I need to fly by the seat of my pants. I'm "old school" but will consider changing if my boss buys us an iPhone.

Chris Moore NJ Exit 7-A

 

Chris, I'm married to a school library media specialist (in the old days they were called librarians, although I grant that the job is much more technical than it used to be). For years, the "futurists" and some in her profession have been predicting the demise of print books as all books would be available to read via computer.

Some now say that newspapers will fade away, too, but I doubt that, too.

 

There is something about having that piece of paper IN your hand. You look at it at YOUR convenience and can, when you have time, just sit and explore. I have a collection of maps and I love them. I like to sit down with my DeLorme Gazeteers and look for stuff I want to see.

 

To date, I haven't found online maps that "comfortable", and doubt I ever will.

 

One cannot "curl-up" with a good GPS or computer screen!

[Alex Burr - hester_nec]

Chris, I'm married to a school library media specialist (in the old days they were called librarians, although I grant that the job is much more technical than it used to be). For years, the "futurists" and some in her profession have been predicting the demise of print books as all books would be available to read via computer.

Some now say that newspapers will fade away, too, but I doubt that, too.

 

There is something about having that piece of paper IN your hand. You look at it at YOUR convenience and can, when you have time, just sit and explore. I have a collection of maps and I love them. I like to sit down with my DeLorme Gazeteers and look for stuff I want to see.

 

To date, I haven't found online maps that "comfortable", and doubt I ever will.

 

One cannot "curl-up" with a good GPS or computer screen!

 

I doubt that "paper" will fade away, at least not in our time. I can remember the time when computers were going to make paper files obsolete - and that was, what, 20 years ago.

I have a ton of Hudson material on disc - but I also have it backed up in notebooks. Actually,

it's easier, and quicker, to grab a notebook and look for that tech bulletin, than it is to pull the disc, put in the CD drive, call up the file, and find it.

 

Safe travels all.

 

Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

Memphis, TN

[Keep the Show on the Road!]

Yah, I remember the “paperless office” also. Big joke.

 

When they have a computer with a flexible screen that expands to at least 11 X 17 inches, fits in my back pocket, can be sat on without cracking, never needs recharging, weighs under an ounce, and costs under $5, I’ll throw away my paper maps.

 

Of course it isn't either / or. I love my laptop and GPS, but that doesn't mean I have abandoned paper.

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

[eyerobic]

Yah, I remember the "paperless office" also. Big joke.

 

When they have a computer with a flexible screen that expands to at least 11 X 17 inches, fits in my back pocket, can be sat on without cracking, never needs recharging, weighs under an ounce, and costs under $5, I'll throw away my paper maps.

 

Of course it isn't either / or. I love my laptop and GPS, but that doesn't mean I have abandoned paper.

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

____________________________________

 

 

Smart phones are getting close to that in portability. But don't sit on them, as they don't cost $5. More like $500! . . They also don't make very good sun-shades or fly-swatters as paper maps do.

 

 

"Lets Put On A Show!" ... Mickey Rooney

[Jennifer]

Paper maps crumpling in face of electronic onslaught

Michael Cabanatuan, Chronicle Staff Writer

 

Friday, October 12, 2007

 

These days, when it's time to hit the road, drivers are more likely to let a computer or GPS unit plot their journey than to pull out a paper road map.

read on . . .

I use google maps almost daily as I drive quite a bit for work.

But still carry my collection of (folding) City and County street maps for when I need to fly by the seat of my pants.

I'm "old school" but will consider changing if my boss buys us an iPhone.

 

Chris Moore

NJ Exit 7-A

 

I just bought a Bluetooth GPS receiver to go along with DeLorme's Street Atlas handheld version, which I have on my Palm. I bought it to supplement my trusty Rand McNally atlas, which I don't want to give up. I like seeing the "big picture" the atlas provides, which the Palm simply won't. I can get a sense of the overall route way better than I ever could with the Palm. However, when I need street level detail and navigation in a tricky area, I love the convenience of the GPS. I also use the GPS for other things - to create trip logs so I can geotag my photographs ( a godsend now, if I take a huge batch of photos and want to instantly and automatically tag where they were taken). I also use it for geocaching, as I have elaborated in a separate thread.

 

But for me, my old paper maps (30's, 40's 50's) and brand new Atlas aren't going away - the GPS is just an additional item in my travel arsenal - not a replacement.