Maps at Google

Interesting Ed Parsons talk with some behind-the-scenes pictures of what Google uses to manage it’s geographic infrastructure. Nice enough talk but definitely for the Google audience, a little implicit that Google invented everything. Random dig at MapQuest who were apparently Google’s original map supplier (who knew?).

Google map data sources then and now

Interesting screen shot of what I’ll call GoogleGIS with streetview bubbles flattened out in to a donut as part of the editing process. Looks like a Mac app in some third party language/widget set:

GoogleGIS

Ed uses a tiny snippet of video of this guy who’s cheerfully editing map bugs submitted by the crowd;

Upper middle class Google Map Maker editor in relaxed Californian atmosphere fixing the occasional map bug

I’m not entirely sure how accurate that is though.

Map bugs dutifully fixed by glad worker bees

Full talk;