We have, in the past, made merry with Microsoft and its command of cartography - notably when its MapPoint recommended that the best way to drive between the Norwegian towns of Haugesund and Trondheim was a 2,600 jaunt via the North Sea and English Channel - one of many curious jaunts.

MapPoint could not, however, at that time recommend any hotels en route - slightly inconvenient if you suddenly found yourself in urgent need of a hearty meal and a bed for the night somewhere between Folkestone and Boulogne. It's all sorted now, though, as reader John Rutter explains:

Just got confirmation of a booking at the Holiday Inn in Eastleigh, Hampshire, which included a PDF file containing booking details and two location maps. Attached is a screenshot of part of this PDF, which apparently uses some Microsoft software to display the hotel location. I always thought that Eastleigh was inland, not offshore in the middle of the English Channel as shown in this map!

Good Lord. Luckily, as John adds: "Multimap seems to recognise the postcode and give me a land-lubber location to go and stay." Unless, of course, Redmond has now acquired the power to relocate entire buildings at will. Highly likely, since it last year - and using nothing more than the power of Windows Server System - moved Switzerland to Russia. Impressive. ®

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