Microsoft MapPoint

Microsoft MapPoint is both a technology ("MapPoint Web Service," previously known as MapPoint .NET) and a specific software program created by Microsoft 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-end GIS market. It includes all of the functionality of the most recent version of Streets and Trips, the consumer mapping software, at the time of development, as well integrates with Microsoft Office, data mapping from various sources including Microsoft Excel, and a Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) interface allowing automation of the MapPoint environment.

The MapPoint technology is used in
 * End-user desktop software:
 * MapPoint (for North American and Western European business users)
 * Microsoft Streets and Trips (for North American home users)
 * AutoRoute (for Western European home and small business users)
 * Encarta encyclopedia (Atlas functionality)
 * Web-based services:
 * The Live Search Maps website maps.live.com
 * The Microsoft Virtual Earth development platform
 * The MapPoint Web Service using SOAP XML
 * The Virtual Earth Map control, an ActiveX control, which lets users make requests via JavaScript to an AJAX map object

Versions
As of 2008, Microsoft MapPoint as the software is typically updated every two years and available in both upgrade and full packaged product form, the current version being 2006, with significantly updated GPS integration and features. Previous versions were released starting with 2000 (developing from Expedia Streets, a consumer mapping application included with Office 97 Small Business Edition), which was slated to be included in the Office 2000 Premium Edition suite, but never was.


 * MapPoint 2000
 * MapPoint 2001 (Similar to 2000, and more of a data update)
 * MapPoint 2002
 * MapPoint 2004 (Last version to run on Windows 9x)
 * MapPoint 2006

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 the Office XP suites due to a lack of equivalent programmability, and 2006 was released well before Office 2007. The program's icon and toolbars have also not been updated since the 2002 release to stay consistent with the current Office suites.

The software is available for Microsoft Windows, and includes a less-featured edition entitled Pocket Streets for the Windows CE family of products, such as PocketPC, Smartphone, and Windows Automotive.