A better user manual. As a demonstration, I want to rewrite a few poor product user manuals or directions intended for a nontechnical audience. What user manuals or directions have driven you nuts and would benefit from a thorough rewrite?
posted by markcmyers on Aug 16, 2009 - 14 answers

My boss wants me to research GPS units for him to use since he'll be traveling a lot more in the near future. Any recommendations? I really don't know what I should be looking for in a good GPS unit. [more inside]
posted by chiababe on Jul 14, 2009 - 18 answers

How can I get one-click public-transit directions from my home to anywhere on Google Maps? [more inside]
posted by NickDouglas on Jul 5, 2009 - 6 answers

I have this voice recorder from ThinkGeek and I lost the directions. [more inside]
posted by P.o.B. on Jun 12, 2009 - 2 answers

What's the best way to drive from near Philadelphia to Dartmouth in New Hampshire? [more inside]
posted by lpsguy on Apr 4, 2009 - 7 answers

How should I drive to Killington, VT from Ridgefield CT tonight? Given the holiday and rush hour, what route will take the least time? [more inside]
posted by Opposite George on Jan 16, 2009 - 8 answers

How do I format Puerto Rican addresses for Google Maps, or any other online mapping service? [more inside]
posted by indyz on Dec 4, 2008 - 1 answer

What Does Pre-Roll Mean? [more inside]
posted by Ironmouth on Oct 1, 2008 - 15 answers

Help me read the directions on this Japanese soup stock packet. [more inside]
posted by puffin on Jun 21, 2008 - 3 answers

Where can I get driving directions in Japan in English? [more inside]
posted by nintendo on Sep 11, 2007 - 6 answers

What's the best way to drive from SeaTac through Seattle and out to the north? [more inside]
posted by aaronetc on Aug 19, 2007 - 15 answers

EuroTourFilter How much travel time is involved in getting from: 1) La Flèche d'Or at 102 bis rue de Bagnolet - 75020 to the Louvre? 2) Paradiso at Weteringschans 6-8, Leidseplein to the Rijksmuseum? Is public transport to/from workable for a first time, ignant American visitor? Thanks for any insight you can offer. I'm leaving in about 4 hours...
posted by mundy on Aug 8, 2007 - 11 answers

There must be a great way for me to get driving directions via cell phone, right? [more inside]
posted by thatguyryan on Jul 4, 2007 - 12 answers

What is the best way to embed a Google Map of a business's location, including a link to driving directions? [more inside]
posted by designbot on Jun 29, 2007 - 9 answers

What is the best free online directions service for a long road trip? [more inside]
posted by names are hard on May 30, 2007 - 15 answers

Driving Directions Filter: Is there another online service like Google maps or Mapquest that will allow me to customize part of my route? [more inside]
posted by 543DoublePlay on May 21, 2007 - 6 answers

CluelessFilter, MassachusettsFilter: "Mobil station at exit 17 off 495 in Franklin". Totally lost about how to find out whether this location is even vaguely accessible via the MBTA/commuter rail? I can plug in an address at the MBTA site but I have no idea how to find nearby addresses or that of the Mobil station at that particular exit.
posted by Firas on Feb 2, 2007 - 11 answers

Help me bend Google Maps to my will.... [more inside]
posted by anastasia on Jan 26, 2007 - 8 answers

Geocoding and finding driving time between geocoded addresses: best free APIs? [more inside]
posted by orthogonality on Oct 20, 2006 - 5 answers

What is the best driving route from Boston to Philadelphia? [more inside]
posted by Hillman Cobs on Jul 22, 2006 - 10 answers

Coming from Palo Alto, I need to get to San Francisco by 9am on July 4th. What's the cheapest / fastest way to do this? [more inside]
posted by mto on Jul 2, 2006 - 11 answers

I'm driving from Toronto to Ottawa on Canada Day weekend. I don't want to take the 401. Is this reasonably possible? [more inside]
posted by helvetica on Jun 23, 2006 - 6 answers

A group of my friends and I are looking to hike the first leg of the Nantahala area AT this weekend, and can't figure out where to park and enter. [more inside]
posted by jruckman on May 26, 2006 - 2 answers

I'm trying to figure out the fastest route from Long Beach airport to Hollywood. I don't trust the answers that MapQuest and friends come up with. [more inside]
posted by bac on Feb 9, 2006 - 11 answers

Does anyone have any polite advice on driving from central new jersey to jfk airport so to get there for a 7:00 am flight? [more inside]
posted by ProfLinusPauling on Dec 25, 2005 - 7 answers

Hey, NYC MeFites. I need some help getting around. [more inside]
posted by Jon-o on Dec 4, 2005 - 17 answers

Mapping & multi-stop driving directions: is there a free online mapping tool that will allow me to enter several locations in a US city and then display the quickest driving route to pass through all those locations? I've seen one called NavPro but it's not free.
posted by masymas on Nov 30, 2005 - 5 answers

DrivingDirectionsFilter: I'm in Santa Rosa, California, and I'm planning to take I-5 north to Portland, Oregon. What's the best way from here over to I-5? [more inside]
posted by moss on Oct 6, 2005 - 12 answers

I'm considering a drive from NJ to NH, and there are various potential trouble spots on the way. [more inside]
posted by Karmakaze on Sep 6, 2005 - 23 answers

NYCTrafficFilter: Help me avoid the worst of it. I have to drive from Maine to Long Branch, NJ for a wedding this weekend. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I have to leave Portland at around 1 p.m. on Thursday. This means I'll be nearing NYC right around rush hour. Google Maps suggests going 84 to 91 to 95, over the GWB, to Garden State Parkway to Rt. 36. Should I trust Google on this one?
posted by damn yankee on Aug 23, 2005 - 15 answers

I've noticed I have this habit of thinking of different websites in terms of direction and location rather than just a URL. [more inside]
posted by staresbynight on Jul 20, 2005 - 14 answers

Whenever I watch a show like cops, I notice that the police always seem to know what direction they are headed (ex. "suspect is heading east on franklin, turned north on vine"). Even when they are on foot they call out directions on their handheld radios. I don't see them with a compass. So how do they know what direction they are going?
posted by vronsky on Feb 26, 2005 - 26 answers

Have you ever come across a site that gives you driving directions, like yahoo maps or mapquest, but lets you fiddle a bit with which roads to take/not to take? I want to be able to avoid traffic jams, or find directions that make the least possible turns and change of roads. (Like when I don't want to risk getting lost and ending up in a bad area of town after dark.)
posted by parma on Feb 19, 2005 - 6 answers

Question regarding hemispheres, direction and maps. [more inside]
posted by Seth on Aug 25, 2004 - 14 answers

SprawlFilter:

I'm driving to Vermont in a few weeks. I'll reach the NYC area around noon on a Saturday. I usually take the NJ Turnpike to the last exit at Ft. Lee, hit the Ft. Lee Starbucks and then the Palisades Parkway to the Tappen Zee, Saw Mill to 684, 684 to 84 to 91.

This does not work spectacularly well, but I've always figured it was as good as any. But maybe it isn't.
posted by mojohand on Jun 28, 2004 - 9 answers

Are there any good direction generating websites that allow you to avoid major highways? MapQuest used to do it but... not any more as far as I can see. [more inside] [more inside]
posted by asterisk on Apr 23, 2004 - 8 answers

Whatever happened to MapQuest's aerial (satellite?) photos? Is there a site where I can find ones like them? [more inside]
posted by callmejay on Apr 6, 2004 - 12 answers