Not to mention Google Maps gives you about 1/2" x 1/2" of actual map - the rest of your screen is full of other junk.
Man, I thought I was going nuts. For a pretty long time now I've just been dumbfounded when no or seemingly arbitrary street names are rendered (usually when I zoom in; when it counts). This happens for all sorts of streets, regardless of their significance. It's slightly insane this still occurs.
And this very aspect is what makes Google Maps not a proper map. It's optimized for point-to-point navigation, where you know the place you want to get to.