Given that Garmin desires to transition loyal MapSource users to Base Camp in the long run, it would seem to me to be imperative to ensure that any features that are useful in MS not be eliminated unless there is a really good reason or a better alternative is provided in BC. I have only opened BC so far to begin to familiarize myself with it, not yet to actually do anything. I use MS on a netbook or PC using a touch pad instead of a mouse. For me, I find the keyboard shortcuts to manipulating the map (panning and zooming) to be almost perfect in MS, using the arrow keys and +/- keys to move quickly around, faster than I could using the touch pad. And when you get really good at doing something a certain way, you get quite attached to it.
So I request that for panning the maps, BC use the same keys as MS. That is: in MS, the arrow keys are "fine pan", and move the map 20% of the window size in that direction. "Ctrl arrow" moves the map 4 times as far, or 80% of the screen dimension. This is better than moving it 100%, since it allows one to see a sliver of the map move from one side of the screen to the other, maintaining your visualization and perspective on where you are. In BC, only the "fine pan" is implemented, which is a drag when you are used to panning fast. Please add "Ctrl arrow" the same as MS, 80% screen panning.
On the zooming, the +/- keys are there the same as MS, with +/- being "fine zoom", or one level at a time, and "Ctrl +/-" zooming in or out completely. But in my experience, "Ctrl -" is useless. Nobody needs to see the entire North American continent, and furthermore, when you do that, it automatically recenters the map somewhere near the Grand Canyon, so if you zoom back in, you have to start over again to move to where you were just a moment before. I propose that zooming should be consistent with panning, and "Ctrl +/-" be changed to be a "coarse zoom", zooming the level in or out 3 or 4 levels at once. This would be very useful. Then perhaps make "Shift +/-" be the "zoom all the way", for those who find that a useful key function.
Overall, I think MapSource users will find switching to BC easier if MS features are carried over to BC as much as possible. Thanks.
