Google's Rasmussen on Google Maps

jbp1337 writes "During a presentation at Sydney University last week, the lead engineer behind Google Maps, Lars Rasmussen offered an interesting insight into how it all came together. Rasmussen is working on a number of AJAX applications that provide a rich desktop-like interface to the end-user from within the Web browser. Other interesting things include a Linux port of Google Earth, the company is opening a new engineering center in Sydney, and Google's design philosophy is based on end-user loyalty - not money. On the rumor of a Web-based office suite from Google, Rasmussen said he is unaware of one 'but there are 3000 people that work for Google'."

Comments

Google Maps Release Worse Than Beta?

[doodaddy]

Does anyone else feel that the released Google Maps is worse than the beta? Interstate names are missing, printing via the print button doesn't work right, the list of streets to choose form is on the left which is awkward. The first page take 5 seconds to load often, which is not very Googlish. If you have half of your street info typed in and the page finally finishes loading, it erased your typing so far...

I also have trouble using is from Mozilla 1.7.x but it may be because of adblock or flashblock. But this has been going on in the beta too.

Re:Google Maps Release Worse Than Beta?

[TeacherOfHeroes]

Google maps seems to be running very slowly, but it doesnt seem that the slow-down is contained to google maps, either. The google mail server continually goes on and off line like a yo-yo, usually right when I'm about to hit 'Send'.

Even their search pages seem to be taking more time than normal to be served. Maybe speedy, widespread adoption of all these new services is comming back to bite them in the rear.

Re:a bit of a "plug" for google in the submission

[Hyperlink Processor]

Does it cost you to do a google search? Does gmail cost? My "opinion" is that that "opinion" is fairly factual. Google uses free services to instill loyalty and keep people coming back... and clicking on their ads.

Hmm, I can't really think of any free MS services off the top of my head. Definitely not any that don't tie in with their OS or something.

Gmail as a web-based word processor

[Sundroid]

Gmail is another AJAX application, and it has immense possibilities. I wrote this comment using Gmail, checked my spelling with its spellchecker, saved it in Draft, and it is stored on Google's server, which is safer than my own hard drive.

Web-based applications are here to stay, and if they are from reputable companies like Google and Yahoo, you know your files stored on their servers will remain there for a long time, if not forever.

Re:Giving up responsibility

[daviddennis]

When was the last time a non-geek friend of yours made a backup of his personal hard drive?

Thought so.

D

Re:Mercator projection

[s-orbital]

Hey, I live in (Alaska|Greenland|Russia) you insensitive clod!!! (Actually Russia, but I used to live in Alaska). The Mercator Projection really stretches out the Northern and Southern areas of the world quite badly.

Re:Technology vs Ethics

[NetSettler]

I believe Google when they claim they try not to do evil

I don't know if I'd believe or disbelieve such a statement, but I've not seen it in so plain a form. But even then, to "try" is an interesting thing. In a person, I take it to imply that meaningful amounts of energy are expended toward the acheivement of the stated goal. So what really interests me is how they implement it. Trying not to do evil has to be more than simply an accidental effect of getting probably-well-intentioned people together and letting them do hopefully-well-intentioned things; I would not accept that as a process. If they do have a process, I'd like to hear something about why it leads to a better-than-chance set of ill effects. If they don't have a process, I'd like to know why they think they can make such claims (if they even do).

Heck, for that matter, as a first round of discussion, I'd almost bargain down to a clear definition of the goal they are "trying" to achieve--that is, an understanding of what they think is the "evil" they are trying to avoid. Without knowing what they think is good and evil, how can I know that the evil they are trying to avoid is the evil I or you or anyone cares about? And if I don't know that, I don't know what it means to trust them. They might mean that claim in all good faith, and yet not be doing what I want or need them to do.

Re:Marketing

[Baricom]

If your Gmail is anything like my Gmail*, you'll see ads in the right column when you read threads. However, the ads don't always show up when you're not discussing mainstream topics in your e-mail. Others have also found that Gmail will avoid placing ads alongside e-mails which appear to be about sensitive topics such as death.

* Of course, your Gmail might not be anything like my Gmail because I've noticed they have several different versions deployed. For example, there's a RSS reader integrated into some Gmail accounts that I don't have access to.