The reviews earlier made me attempt to run both versions for comparison rather than leaping to the new version. The new version is much more "elegant," I suppose, but I happen to like having the controls at the bottom as in the older version. Having the controls disappear and reappear as they now do seems quite spooky and disconcerting. I would also like to be able to "lock" North at the top of the screen, but of course that is a minor thing and means nothing in the real world.

What I DO like, however, is that the controls now are VERY MUCH MORE responsive, zooming, tilting, rotating almost in real time, which was NEVER true on the older version, which hesitated, jerked, or overreacted to adjustments. I used to feel sometimes like slapping my screen to make it pay attention: never a good idea! The newer version is more nearly comparable to having a large (and somewhat clumsy) globe under your fingertips--although I'm probably the only one on this board old enough to remember what a globe is. I'm even old enough to have held a sliderule in my hands long ago.

I don't know why anyone sees this version as slower. I am running on an iMac G5 1.8 GHz with 1.5 GB RAM, and I realize that might help with handling the volume of data--which is streaming via Cox Internet. But I suspect any problems people are having will begin to disappear as they "uncheck" all data that they don't want or need--most of us can do without the names of hamlets, and many borders can be dispensed with except for those of you carrying on war or trying to keep Mexicans on the far side of a fence.

The list of things "New in This Version" should be a simple list of the changes to the application and not a gushing advertisement, which IS quite a waste of everyone's time; and I think that more attention should be given to improving resolution on areas outside the United States, as zooming into other areas can get quite "mushy." Clouds while pretty are not particularly instructive, for example, whether small or large. But of course this is a horribly comprehensive application and I am still astonished that it works at all--and is free.

I haven't been using the application long enough to get really impatient with it yet, but it seems to me some of the other reviews have been far off base and overly depressing, and I want to encourage the developers with what seems a very worthwhile--and probably life-swallowing--project. Yes there is work to be done--eventually I suppose there will be an "elegant" way to climb Mt. Everest--but "the longest journey begins with a single step." Good luck to the developers, and may the rest of you enjoy using this remarkable application!