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A transformation?

Looking back over the last few posts, it would seem I turning into a Google hater, I certainly seem to be finding more to fault, which seems a change from my previous fanboy antics. 

Some things from Google (mainly Geo) roughly over the last year and my reaction: (in no particualr order…)

Good

  • Static Maps API
  • Earth Plugin and API
  • Chrome Browser!
  • Map Icons in Chart API
  • Reverse Geocoding (& BBOX on forward)
  • StreetView
  • High resolution Imagry (including Wales/UK)

Bad

  • No PhotoOverlay or 3D-navigator in Earth Plugin
  • Google Installers and Updaters – a mess
  • Google Maps API Terms of Service. 
  • Google Pages shutting down (sites is NOT a real replacement atm) 
  • No Google Spell Check for Chrome (as no toolbar), and other minor irritations
  • Slow development on Google Maps – particully MyMaps (and MyMaps API)

Indifferent

  • Google Earth 4.3 a disapointment (plus no real upgrades since) 
  • Help Forums – good, but not there yet…
  • GeoWeb Search API – close, but no cigar

… so its not all bad, I guess just getting more worked up about the bad, and don’t really have anything to say about the good.

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This entry was posted on Monday, January 19th, 2009 at 11:17 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

2 Responses to “A transformation?”

  1. Mapperz says:
    January 19, 2009 at 12:30 pm

    Barry I agree on most of that.
    Yes there has been no news at all on ‘MyMaps Data API’
    even the schema’s have gone missing
    http://schemas.google.com/maps/2008#map
    (dns error now)
    I would like to see this come to the public beta, editable/creation of points, polylines and polygons mapping within the API is the route to go. As well as better KML support.

    Google Earth
    4.3.7284.3916 (beta) – Jul 8 2008 now thats a long time for a product in beta on par with firefox 3.
    Maybe Google Earth 4.4+ is due soon ish?

    I guess we have been blessed with a big spurge of innovation in the last couple of years from Google on Geo products… now bits are going missing/closing – Google Pages was excellent – just needed ftp/multi-file uploads.

    Looking forward to Google Street View in the UK. Lots of potential with that.
    Though bear in mind the huge cost for all this digital capture/storage/bandwidth – many millions of dollars and we get access to it for very little if not free.

    Mapperz
    http://mapperz.blogspot.com/

  2. Epicanis says:
    January 19, 2009 at 7:00 pm

    Not to mention “No Linux support for any of the last few years’ products” (and very poor Mac support).

    I’m snidely and only-half-jokingly wondering if the delay in getting an update to Google Earth (the ONLY Google application that I use [and enjoy greatly]) out is time spent figuring out how to remove Linux support from the next version…