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The State of Mapping APIs, 5 Years On

Posted by timothy on from the where-are-you-now dept.

macslocum writes "Map APIs took off in 2005, and during the ensuing years the whole notion of maps has changed. Where once they were slick add-ons, map functionality is now a necessary — and expected — tool. In this piece, Adam DuVander looks at the current state of mapping and he explains how mobile devices, third-party services and ease of use are shaping the map development world."

7 of 100 comments (clear)

  1. Google the first? Not really... by RobertM1968 · · Score: 4, Informative

    "Google had the first mapping API and continues to keep its lead by adding useful new features. "

    I suspect the government and the various contractors and outside programmers who worked with them or with their data had the first mapping API. It was used for the TigerLINE data that all the rest of this data is originally based off of. It wasnt some internal govt only project, but something anyone could either download (free) or purchase and use. There are a variety of such tools (various with their own APIs), numerous ancient (Win95/98 era) which far predates Google's tools and APIs.

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    1. Re:Google the first? Not really... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      Obligatory: I work at ESRI and find it hilarious that we're not mentioned in that article apart from the related video.

      http://www.esri.com/software/mapping_for_everyone/api/index.html

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esri

    2. Re:Google the first? Not really... by symbolset · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You guys make some neat stuff, but the license keeps it away from us.

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    3. Re:Google the first? Not really... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Wow. You actually admit that wou work for ESRI? Like that is something to be proud of?! Oh wait, you did that anonymously. I certainly wouldn't want to be associated with that steaming pile of "software".

      The only reason you guys are anywhere is due to the way that you've muscled your way into government/state use and thereby forcing anyone wanting to do contract work to use your buggy, ridiculously over priced applications. Seriously, $7,000 for GIS editing software??? Then tens of thousands more for shitty, outdated ArcSDE?

      Yeah, I think there is a reason why ESRI wasn't mentioned and that is because your poorly documented APIs, lousy commitments / involvement in OGC (way to be an industry leader) and lack of any real innovation--nothing good has come out of Redlands in more than 5 years.

  2. The old Guard from my perspective by stimpleton · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I did a post grad degree in GIS finishing 2003 haveing done IS degree before then. We used professional map tools for analytical work and presentation.

    Two things stood out in the culture of GIS:

    - A non importance of solid data handling and storage. Flat files were the order of the day.
    - Antialiasing was not prevalent. While not required for anayltical work, in presentation it was, but many big name tools did not make the jump. 8 bit was common.
    - Presentation was done by govt depts and were fairly snazzy for the day, in 8bit alisaed glory

    Now we see were we are today, and its all to do with the fact non mapping companies have got involved without the hangups of the old GIS attitudes from govt depts, universities, and the big name tool vendors influencing them. Companies like MS, Google, have presented maps and GIS so superior to the traditional industry, that even Depts Lands, Mapping and Survey(or whatever called in your country) are resorting to Google maps.

    We now have depts of GIS professionals along with proprietry vendor tools being trounced by private enterprise.

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    1. Re:The old Guard from my perspective by karavelov · · Score: 4, Informative

      There is a module for PostgreSQL called PostGIS with quite impressive feature set... It's there for a while, it is actively developed and have support from PostgreSQL core hackers.

  3. More Important than the Maps by geoffrobinson · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I think the thing that was most impressive, at the time, was how they got JavaScript to do all that in a browser. Now, that was impressive.

    Is it my impression or did AJAX really take off after people saw Google Maps?

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