| Microsoft MapPoint | |
|---|---|
 Microsoft MapPoint North America 2009 | |
| Developer | Microsoft |
| Initial release | 2000; 26 years ago (2000) |
| Final release | MapPoint 2013 / July 2012; 13 years ago (2012-07) |
| Operating system | Microsoft Windows |
| Type | GIS software |
| License | Commercialproprietary software |
| Website | https://web.archive.org/web/20080906051938/http://www.microsoft.com/mappoint/default.mspx |
Microsoft MapPoint is a discontinued[1][2][3] software program and service created byMicrosoft that allows users to view, edit and integrate maps. The software and technology are designed to facilitate the geographical visualization and analysis of either included data or custom data. Numerous acquisitions (Vexcel, Vicinity Corporation, GeoTango, etc.) have supplemented both data and feature integration.
MapPoint is intended for business users but competes in the low-endgeographic information system ("GIS") market. It includes all of the functionality of the most recent version ofStreets and Trips, the consumer mapping software, at the time of development, as well as integration withMicrosoft Office, data mapping from various sources includingMicrosoft Excel and aVisual Basic for Applications (VBA) interface allowing automation of the MapPoint environment.
The MapPoint technology is also used inMicrosoft Streets and Trips (for North American home users),Microsoft AutoRoute (forWestern European home and small business users),Encarta's atlas functionality,Bing Maps andBing Maps Platform.[citation needed]
MapPoint, along with its companions Streets & Trips and Autoroute, was officially discontinued on December 31, 2014 and has no further product support.[4] Bing Maps, along with theWindows 10 appWindows Maps are being represented as the replacement/alternative to MapPoint.[5]
Microsoft MapPoint as the software is typically updated every two years and available in both upgrade and full packaged product form; the current and final version is 2013. Previous versions were released starting with 2000 (developing fromExpedia Streets and Trips Planner 98, a consumer mapping application included withOffice 97 Small Business Edition), which was slated to be included in the Office 2000 Premium Edition suite, but never was.[6][7]
New versions have not always been at the same time as the equivalent Office releases despite being numbered similarly; notably the 2002 release was excluded from theOffice XP suites due to a lack of equivalent programmability, and 2006 was released well beforeOffice 2007. The program's icon and toolbars were not updated until the 2009 release to stay consistent with modern software applications.
Version 2009[11] sporting an overhauled interface and claimed better Office integration was released in late 2008.[12] The core map rendering engine remained the same and the GIS data was not updated as recently as one might expect of a product released in 2008, leaving out subdivisions, roads and other features that were completed in 2007 and which are shown on online mapping systems.[13] Just like its consumer counterpart, Streets & Trips, the 2009 version of MapPoint removed many pushpins, flags and extra icons present in earlier versions.[14]
Old versions 2004 and 2006 both included 336 pushpin symbols. The 2009 version replaced these symbols with a new set of 46 pushpins. This resulted in users trying to restore the pushpins from version 2006 and earlier. The full range of pushpins were reintroduced in MapPoint 2010 with updated visual styling.[14]
The software is available forMicrosoft Windows, and includes a less-featured edition entitled Pocket Streets for theWindows CE family of products, such asPocket PC, andWindows Mobile forSmartphone and Automotive.
In 2002, Microsoft launched a free online MapPoint service.[15][16] This was superseded by MSN Maps, Live Search Maps, and Bing Maps.
| International | |
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| National | |
