Is MapPoint Dead???

I know many churches have used Microsoft MapPoint (the desktop client application) for years to help visualize where their members live (more info).  But with some of the latest tools from Google I wonder if we'll ever buy a new version (when's the 2005 version coming out anyways...).  Two new technologies in particular make me think this:

1. Google Earth:  The release of a free version of Google Earth provides an interesting option to MapPoint.  Sure there are several differences (most notible satillite vs maps), but if you can get past that there are some exciting new things you can do with Google Earth.  Geobloggers has a great posting on creating dynamic KML files for overlaying points of interest (i.e. member's homes) in Google Earth.  Way cool!  Sure the images aren't all that up to date, but neither is MapPoint, and I'm sure in the near future images will be much more current.
2. Google Map API: With the release of an official API for Google Maps the sky really is the limit (wonder when we'll map that???).  Though it is still in beta there is already some real exciting stuff happening in the first week of it's release.  I'm hoping they come out with a cheap paid version that will not include any advertisements.

While it's certainly too early to call MapPoint dead, it's future is not all that bright...

Comments

[gliu]

But MapPoint is a web service and Google Earth is not.