2006SEP150851
Software companies can't grok maps
Reading a radar.oreilly article, Tom Coates at "Future of Web Apps" on the Carson Workshops, The Future of Web Apps this morning I was intrigued to find map directions for the conference, mindful of software companies not understanding the pitfalls of mapping.
Why online maps suck
Yesterday I found another software company using mapping as a core of their service and made a statement along the lines of, '... software companies are getting in over their heads with the complexity involved in cartography. ...'
Well here's an example. Google for example (I could use other companies & I'm not trying to single out google for special treatment. If I find other examples I'll highlight them. I simply using this particular example to highlight a point) has lots of money, expertise, talent right?
Tell me why then can't I find where I need to go? If I'm new to this town having a street location, some generalised location is not enough. Say I manage to find the general area (because of the distinct landmark bridge and geography). What next? Where is the building? What side of the street? Where are the street numbers and side streets I can use for reference?
The map shown above is simply deviod of the correct level of detail in order to be useful.
So lets go to the larger scale map (larger the scale, smaller the area) ...
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2006SEP150851
Software companies can't grok maps
Reading a radar.oreilly article, Tom Coates at "Future of Web Apps" on the Carson Workshops, The Future of Web Apps this morning I was intrigued to find map directions for the conference, mindful of software companies not understanding the pitfalls of mapping.
Why online maps suck
Yesterday I found another software company using mapping as a core of their service and made a statement along the lines of, '... software companies are getting in over their heads with the complexity involved in cartography. ...'
Well here's an example. Google for example (I could use other companies & I'm not trying to single out google for special treatment. If I find other examples I'll highlight them. I simply using this particular example to highlight a point) has lots of money, expertise, talent right?
Tell me why then can't I find where I need to go? If I'm new to this town having a street location, some generalised location is not enough. Say I manage to find the general area (because of the distinct landmark bridge and geography). What next? Where is the building? What side of the street? Where are the street numbers and side streets I can use for reference?
The map shown above is simply deviod of the correct level of detail in order to be useful.
So lets go to the larger scale map (larger the scale, smaller the area) ...
next >>>