Mapping software for Mac

[gararnett]

I have been using my macbook for 2 years now, and the one area where I miss a PC is in mapping software (for US and Canadian roadways). It seems that all I can find to use in the Mac world are the crappy on-line stuff like google maps and the like. What I'm looking for is something like Delorme's Street Atlas USA, or god forbid, Microsoft's Streets and Trips. Anything would be better for what I want to do. I'm looking for something that absolutely does not need the internet to function, and has up to date maps. Not looking for a GPS unit. I'm looking for something to do involved routing with, having multiple waypoints. Any help would be appreciated. I'm basically trying to not have to use something like parallels to run PC software on the Mac, as I've never done anything with PC on my Mac and am trying to avoid that whole mess.

 

[mstrze]

I had Street Atlas USA for my Mac back in 1997/8...I assume they still have it for Mac.

Honestly, for me at least. I have been pleased as punch with the online offerings. It may not work for you I suppose, but the online mapping services continue to improve and have never looked or operated better in my opinion.

It's better than being tied to an out-of-date, disc-based database in my opinion. I can't imagine you are going to find a solution that DOESN'T connect to the internet. It would seem foolish in this day and age for a software solution that requires a HUGE dataebase to NOT stream its info from an online database.

 

[gararnett]

I am getting back into long distance motorcycle riding, and specifically, rallies. You get a book at the beginning with a ton of locations to goto for various points. You cannot goto them all. You have to then figure out the best route to get the most points you can. This can of course change in the middle of the rally as things change (go wrong) and you have to figure things out "on the fly" and see if you are changing your bonus locations in total or in part. You may be Paw Paw WV or some other bfe location with no wifi or 3g network and need to figure it out now. They just work better for what I want to do.

Sure, if I was just wanting to go from home to some major city and shop and go back home, the web stuff works. Print out your fixed route and go. Plug it in the gps if you need and go. I'm just not doing anything near that simple.

 

[old-wiz]

I had Street Atlas USA for my Mac back in 1997/8...I assume they still have it for Mac.

Honestly, for me at least. I have been pleased as punch with the online offerings. It may not work for you I suppose, but the online mapping services continue to improve and have never looked or operated better in my opinion.

It's better than being tied to an out-of-date, disc-based database in my opinion. I can't imagine you are going to find a solution that DOESN'T connect to the internet. It would seem foolish in this day and age for a software solution that requires a HUGE dataebase to NOT stream its info from an online database.

DeLorme dropped support of Mac software quite some time ago. They have no plans to produce a new Mac version due to the cost; they want to focus on Windows versions. You can always run the latest DeLorme stuff under bootcamp

online databases are not always available; you could be in the car with no internet connection.