Slashdot Mirror

The UK OS maps are available on Multimap: http://www.multimap.com/s/kHK6R9kq (go south a bit to see the nearest small city, Salisbury).

As you say, the detail is fantastic. There's different symbols for different kinds of forest, and electricity pylons, and whether the railway line is in a cutting on on an embankment (or neither), and how many tracks there are. This is really useful for navigating, as I think it's generally interesting too.

http://www.multimap.com/s/P1FMT19P

I've put together a little bookmarklet that lets you use OSM maps on Google maps and Multimap API implementations (and in fact multimap.com). In fact I updated it today and have a new blog post about it here.

It can be really useful when you find a site that has useful data but you want to see that data overlaid on OSM maps. On Multimap's site you can also see routes and lots of other POIs overlaid on the OSM maps too.

What a coincidence, I am the great-grandparent and that isn't far from me either, in fact it isn't as far from Pensylvania as some people think only half an hour by car

So did I, it's just down the road from me:

Contact information - Medison Europe Limited 27 Ruffets Wood Gravesend, Kent DA12 5JQ England Hmm based out of the UK? We are pricegouged for technology here so it costs twice as much as in the US, plus the local currency is so strong we can't export anything. http://www.multimap.com/maps/#t=l&map=51.41172,0.3 7755|17|32&loc=GB:51.41172:0.37755:16|DA12%205JQ|D A12%205JQ Aerial photo of the area looks a residential area in the middle of Singlewell. There is a hotel and a primary school very close and you dont often find those in industrial estates, even small ones. Some of the buildings look a little unhouselike so could be a small ind. est. as you find in some small places. It does mention that the company is a startup so this kind of tallies in but does not suggest premesis that can organise worldwide shipping of laptops. Rates about 8 out of 10 on the scamorama probability scale in that alone, probably 10 in 10 with the other things already said

I must admit I just had to look up MapQuest as I'd never heard of it. I live in the UK and over here services such as Streetmap and Multimap are probably the most popular 'legacy' services. I wouldn't be surprised if Google Maps was the most popular these days though.

I've been using the My Maps functionality of Google Maps quite a lot recently to keep private maps of where my friends live etc. - especially useful for those I don't visit very often as it works like a geo-tagged address book. I can certainly see myself slowly adding more mapplets to my standard google maps view as this feature evolves.

(Slightly off-topic, I absolutely love the Customise your route functionality Google have recently added)

I think the issue is the maps aren't good enough rather than a persons fault. I borrowed a GPS device and decided to use it to take me to a nearby location, I knew the roads around the area extremely well and so was confident that I could get myself out of any problems.

First off it tried to take me down a road which is almost permenatly flooded (there is a warning sign saying occasional flooding, but many lanes in my area have that and 99% of the time the road is drivable) and impassable. Only local knowledge prevented me from going down that lane and I can see people without that knowledge getting their cars stuck in the peat bog. The route itself hugged the riverside and took me down a variety of small unmarked lanes which were often one way and rarely used. In the journey travelling towards Mount Edgecomb I asked the device for the shortest journey and travelling back to Plymouth I asked for the quickest route. It took me through the same narrow lanes both times, but heres the kicker.

Traveling from Torpoint ferries/Tamar bridge takes you straight onto a A road, this road cxan be followed so far onto a B class road which takes you directly to Mount Edgecomb this route takes around 25 minutes and follows well maintained roads. Taking the suggested route from the satnav took 45 minutes, involved a greater distance and at several points tried to navigate me into dead ends or the bog mentioned above. Places like multimap ( http://www.multimap.com/map/aproute.cgi?client=pub lic&startx=242357&starty=59016&endx=244603&endy=52 718&startrd=&starttown=Saltash&startpc=&startcount ry=GB&endrd=&endtown=Mount%20Edgcumbe&endpc=&endco untry=GB&rn=GB&qs=q&starttime=11:48&input_rt=aprou te_pan&lang= ) are capable of giving good directions and yet most satnav systems fail completly in rural areas.

Google Maps is handy as a quick reference, but as a mapping application it's not the best. It's designed as a road map, and misses out a lot of important information for walkers, cyclists and horse riders.

MultiMap does a bit better as it uses Ordnance Survey maps at certain scales, but I ended up going back to paper OS maps because MM is soooo slow, and you can take a paper map with you.

Credit to Google though, they modified the route planning algorithms fairly recently (a few weeks ago I think). It used to give heavy preference to major roads at the expense of 'minor' ones, with some hilarious consequences. Campbeltown to Glasgow used to recommend two ferry trips, one of which only operates during the summer, instead of the three to four hour drive it recommends now.

Not since 1889. 1 L == 1 dm^3, 1 kg == the mass of that thing over there.

As a rule of thumb it's still pretty accurate.

Fresh water? Where are you windsurfing, Lake Michigan?

Actually, I do most of my sailing on salt water (South Hayling Island, Poole, etc) - that 3% extra density does make a slight difference, but the 1Kg == 1L rule of thumb is still useful. Occasionally I do sail on fresh water, usually at Rutland Water.

Not since 1889. 1 L == 1 dm^3, 1 kg == the mass of that thing over there.

As a rule of thumb it's still pretty accurate.

Fresh water? Where are you windsurfing, Lake Michigan?

Actually, I do most of my sailing on salt water (South Hayling Island, Poole, etc) - that 3% extra density does make a slight difference, but the 1Kg == 1L rule of thumb is still useful. Occasionally I do sail on fresh water, usually at Rutland Water.

Not since 1889. 1 L == 1 dm^3, 1 kg == the mass of that thing over there.

As a rule of thumb it's still pretty accurate.

Fresh water? Where are you windsurfing, Lake Michigan?

Actually, I do most of my sailing on salt water (South Hayling Island, Poole, etc) - that 3% extra density does make a slight difference, but the 1Kg == 1L rule of thumb is still useful. Occasionally I do sail on fresh water, usually at Rutland Water.

The Whipsnade Lion was built in 1933 to indicate the position of Whipsnade wildlife park. Aerial Picture.

If anyone's interested, my girlfriend lives in Dollis Park, Finchley (where Tommy Flowers built the Colossus).

The place where he did it is a small brick factory building at the top of her road - ex Post Office and now BT. It's being pulled down as you read this, to put up a development of six flats. Here's a multi-map url - you can see the small block marked 'PO' - http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=publ ic&GridE=-0.19831&GridN=51.60260&lon=-0.19831&lat= 51.60260&place=Dollis%20Park%2C%20FINCHLEY%2C%20N3 &db=GB&scale=5000&search_result=Dollis%20Park%2C%2 0FINCHLEY%2C%20N3&lang=&db=GB&keepicon=true

I don't think anyone realises the history of the place. There's no blue plaque. Indeed, there isn't much of anything there at the moment!

One evening this summer I found myself in Green Park with my missus at the time, and was a little bewildered to see a welly-tossing competition in full, er, swing. I had never seen the sport before, yet there were a group of about 50 or so people of all ages drinking merrilly and lobbing the odd boot with a beer in hand. Bizarre- but quite the spectator sport, not as much fun to behold as kiddie curling though (scroll 1/2way down article).

Funny, that.

In the UK, most folks have heard of Cambridge, less so of Boston. And yet they're only about 60 miles apart. See if you can find them on this map:

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=publ ic&X=500000.921713079&Y=200000.809468128&width=500 &height=300&gride=532665.921713079&gridn=343792.80 9468128&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&addr1=&addr2 =&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&in map=&table=&ovtype=&keepicon=true&zm=0&scale=20000 00&up.x=185&up.y=3

drivers punching in "crackpot" as their destination?

They're not. The navigation systems are using Crackpot as a waypoint on a calculated "shortest route" between two other points - most likely between Liverpool and Newcastle.

North Yorkshire is a rural hilly area with few roads, which takes up most of central northern England. It is moorland - vast grassy hills, nearly mountains, which are so steep they cannot be cultivated for agriculture, and are left for sheep grazing.

See this map showing the lack of roads in central northern England.

Basically if you are heading from Liverpool to Newcastle, you can either take a massive detour to use the motorways (interstates), or you can go cross-country on rural roads. It would seem that in this case the satellite systems are picking roads which are significantly more rural than the drivers were expecting.

But at least now those townies know that some country folk actually do need 4x4s. The Crackpots, anyway ;-) (Disclaimer: I am a UK rural resident and 1.3litre-engine 4x4 driver)

I guess it's that pale-white track on the bottom left, just below the "Summer Lodge [Farm]" that was mentioned in the article, in which case no GPS system should take you down one of those - white on British OS maps (as opposed to yellow) means no tarmac. And the dotted edges of the road indeed mean "unfenced". Lovely stuff. It's even debatable whether the narrow yellow roads on that map (which mean single-track with passing places) should be used by a GPS as through routes, let alone the white ones!

Still, it reinforces the stupidity of the drivers, as there's obviously a point there, just past the farm, where the character of the road changes, and they blindly believe the GPS rather than turn back and let it find another route.

I am also looking for more detailed images of Europe.
I can't find one site that would cover all countries.
Here are two links of interest:

In the UK, multimap has some photos (on a truly unpleasant interface)
(In bottom right corner, you have Houses of Parliament & the London Eye)
http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?client=publi c&lang=&pc=W1

Here is a photo site for CZ/Prague:
([2] Marks the sport where St Johannes was executed, if visiting on foot, look for the bronze cross on side of bridge)
http://beta.mapy.cz/?st=search&fr=Praha,%20karluv% 20most&pw=1258&ph=919&ocx=135754112&ocy=135346752& ozm=6&omp=ophoto

I'd rather replace my mobo anyday. Try getting 8 gallons of oil out of burbur.

burbur? Try getting out of there alive!
berber? I think I see your point...

Who's complaining? The software works remarkably well and is probably one of the most innovative web applications ever. The fact that it requires no client side program and that it works so incredibly smooth is what makes it amazing...

While nobody doubts that Google Maps is good,its hardly innovative,both Multimap and Street Map have implemented long ago what google maps does.The only difference is the others work only in UK (and Europe)and offer no API.

actually the "hybrid" view has been available in the UK for years with http://www.multimap.com/

now i bet that Google looked at all the map sites before deciding which ideas to crib

Multimap had done this for quite some time over the UK, but only with Internet Explorer. Google's solution works fine on Safari, and it looks clean to boot. Kudos Google!

Now if our ZIP codes resolved to a single address, we would be set. ZIP+4 helps, but it's still not there yet. UK postcodes, while not perfect, are much better in this regard.

"Imaginative developers, like Alan Taylor (Transparency concept), are digging deep into experimentation to dream up new uses for the maps. It's great to see the innovation when hacks turn to apps."

Confluence Has a Link to this location. It appears to be in the middle of north Chad. The Cia world factbook doesn't show a big lake there, though it does show other lakes in Chad. Multimap says there is water in that location though. Maybe this is some kind of gigantic bog?

Damn, I was hoping to find the Cerne Abbas Giant on Google's satellite but they don't have the resolution.

This is the best I can come up with.

Also, here's the London Eye.

Drag your mouse over it to see what I mean.

Yeah, don't they know the world continues past the edge of the USA??

I live in the UK, and we have this functionality already: have a look at my office's location

Multimap do a lis of other countries, but I do not know how good the aerial coverage (or map data) is.

I love the smooth transitioning. But as far as detail goes, there isn't even any junction numbers on the roads. Not very useful when planning a journey. I think I will stick with http://www.multimap.com/ in the meantime!

Google != first to everything.

They just do it better when they get there... kinda similar to Apple I suppose.

Sorry, I *love* Ordnance Survey map. They certainly are not idea street maps (the scale is wrong for a start - zoom in on Multimap for a street map).

They just are so fantastically detailed. Look at this map of Mount Snowdon. You can almost visualise the mountains. It's quite amazing to be able to figure out which rock outcrop your arse is currently sitting on. It's certainly very usefull to have the gradient lines....

First we get people saying Brighton is a suburb of London (it's 60-bloody-miles away on the coast, ffs), now we get people saying Hastings is "just down the road from" Brighton - there's quite a distance, you know... (Multimap reckons 40 miles by road.)

but if you ever want to see why map/satellite overlays can be useful, it's a very handy way of spotting what's been left off maps e.g.

http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?x=459600&y=1 63500&scale=25000&mapsize=small&rt=overlay.htm
and
http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?x=468000&y=1 68200&scale=25000&mapsize=small&rt=overlay.htm
which are Aldermaston and Burghsfield (atomic weapons places in the UK)

but if you ever want to see why map/satellite overlays can be useful, it's a very handy way of spotting what's been left off maps e.g.

http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?x=459600&y=1 63500&scale=25000&mapsize=small&rt=overlay.htm
and
http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?x=468000&y=1 68200&scale=25000&mapsize=small&rt=overlay.htm
which are Aldermaston and Burghsfield (atomic weapons places in the UK)

The amusing thing is, that if you zoom out to 1:25000 scale and hover over the image, you can see the donut superimposed from the regular road map! So it doesn't strike me as secrecy, so much as just plain out-of-date.

The amusing thing is, that if you zoom out to 1:25000 scale and hover over the image, you can see the donut superimposed from the regular road map! So it doesn't strike me as secrecy, so much as just plain out-of-date.

The amusing thing is, that if you zoom out to 1:25000 scale and hover over the image, you can see the donut superimposed from the regular road map! So it doesn't strike me as secrecy, so much as just plain out-of-date.

... and of course the coolest feature of Multimap is the transparent overlay of the map that follows your mouse cursor around. You'd think Google could add that fairly easily too.

Plus it doesn't have copyright stamped all over the image!

"First in the industry"?. Multimap has been doing it for a yonk and a half. They get their data from getmapping.com; and you can even buy framed prints of your house from above.

Indeed you're right. Multimap has had aerial photos for a while... For example, this is where I live! The Aerial photos are actually provided by Getmapping.com. The aerial photos aren't available for all locations, but certianly most of the UK is covered.

Indeed you're right. Multimap has had aerial photos for a while... For example, this is where I live! The Aerial photos are actually provided by Getmapping.com. The aerial photos aren't available for all locations, but certianly most of the UK is covered.

Not really - try mousing over this map (hope the link works).

I'm completely in line with this - the first thing that came to mind was photoshop, and the hundreds of megs per file that always happens with files that have been worked on for a while. Remote access? No thanks.
Second that came to mind was gaming - java games are all very well, but they have their problems; games like puzzle pirates, designed for all-platform use, based on java, still have fairly large load times - and this is with most data on your computer. Getting all that kind of information remotely on top of the current stuff would require huge improvements in bandwidth.
Third thing that came to mind was privacy issues (with the recent security incidents), hacking attempts (this'd be a tempting target to the scum that take pleasure from targeting useful systems), and so on.

It's a nice idea to improve the current stuff with the JS+XML we're seeing - and there's some neat stuff; multimap's mouseovering with image/map combination; this neat thing that you can click on when you recognise a book cover; yeah, it's nice to look at, nice to use, but we're left with: "Variety is the spice of life", and there's something BIG to be said about keeping seperate platforms and utility. Competition leads to better stuff, where uniformity leads to stagnation.

It's Sellafield who's lost the Plutonium, not London. I realise that most Americans are geographically challenged and that this is a smaller mistake than usual (When I was at University in Swansea, it was not infrequent for americans to say "Oh, you're in Wales... that's in London isn't it?").

It's Sellafield who's lost the Plutonium, not London. I realise that most Americans are geographically challenged and that this is a smaller mistake than usual (When I was at University in Swansea, it was not infrequent for americans to say "Oh, you're in Wales... that's in London isn't it?").

Well, already The cabs use GPS, at least here in my little corner of the world. While the cars do not have access to the map, it is used at the Dispatch centre to assign fares to the nearest cab.

BTW: My little corner of the world is Kitchener Ontario area.

Maybe were a little ahead of the time for you yanks. The add in for the Busses and directions to be bus stop sounds kool tho

Multimap here in the UK does a good job of combining maps with aerial photographs. It even overlays a transparancy of the map.

The photos are at least a few years old, but it's still pretty, if not particularly useful.

Try multimap:
http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=42.3763 &lon=-71.1161&scale=50000&icon=x
This should be what you are looking for.

The user interface is really nice and cool while being simple.

However, like most other online mapping application, they don't provide geographic coordinates which could be used in a GPS device.

Right now, I'm using using Multimap most of the time, even if their maps are a bit outdated, because they provide geographic coordinates.

If they google where to provide geographics coordinate, at least for driving direction, with a way to download them in a text or xml file, it will beat the compitition without any doubt.

Those of us outside the US can sometimes get good map stuff from http://www.multimap.com

Better than this US-only shit, even if it doesn't cover everywhere at least its slightly more ambitious in its scope...