Microsoft Kills Off MapPoint and Streets and Trips In Favor of Bing Maps

DroidJason1 (3589319) writes Microsoft has killed off two of its mapping products, MapPoint and Streets & Trips. Both of these services have received their last update and will soon be retired in favor of Microsoft's premier mapping product, Bing Maps. The company has yet to go public with a press release announcing the retirement of these two mapping services, but the Redmond giant has quietly mentioned the fate on both the services' websites. MapPoint was first released back in 1999 and made it easier to view, edit, and integrate maps into software. Streets & Trips was a route planning package. Microsoft is now pushing Bing Maps exclusively.

Comments

I'm always amazed MS blew the mapping race

[0xdeaddead]

when they had Microsoft TerraServer running on those sweet DEC Alpha's back in 1998. Instead of launching a new and exciting mapping service, they just settled for a minor showcase for SQL Server 7 with a database greater than 1TB.

Talk about a company with zero vision.

Re:I'm always amazed MS blew the mapping race

[Anonymous Coward]

Because upper management there is only concerned with a project long enough to use it to jump to the next bigger project. And, bigger is not defined as more important. It's a project with more employees. When I jumped to Expedia very early in that company's history, it was a pleasure to work there. Importance of a project was based upon the number of customers and/or profit. The goal of making a good product and attracting and keeping customers was pounded into us constantly. At Microsoft, making a profit or making customers happy was never a goal of upper management. I never once heard any feedback from customers. At Expedia, we did constant A/B tests and were told exactly what worked and what didn't. That's how you make a better product.