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Google Sunsetting Old Version of Google Maps
New submitter Robertgilberts writes with word that Google is dropping the old version of Maps. The new version of Google Maps came out of preview back in February 2014 and was in beta for several months before that. The only way to access the old version of Google Maps was via a special URL or if you had a very old browser that did not support the new version of Google Maps. Consolation prize: There will still be a lighter-weight version, which "drops out many of the neat Google Maps features in exchange for speed and compatibility."
The old Google Maps had far higher quality imagery, at least around me.
The grass is always greener on the old google maps...
Do they not focus test these sort of things?
I think they focus test it by showing it to all the other google employees and saying something like:
a: Hey look at this it's really cool
b: ooh shiny let me have a play
a: yeah but checkout this cool animation
b: sweet that's awesome
a: yeah, oh and this we made the area for viewing cool ainmations bigger by removing all the ui
b: so how do I...?
a: yeah just type "OK Maps" into the search bar
b: oh cool that's really clever
a: so, ship it right?
b: yeah! this is way better than the old one!
So if you're on a permanent high speed wired connection (or 4G), have a very top-end computer and spend more time scrolling round and looking at pretty stuff than actually using it as a map (who needs to actually leave SF anyway?) then it's way better.
For everyone else not actually located at Mountain View, it sucks.
SJW n. One who posts facts.
You're right! Argh!
Bing Maps is like what you'd get if you updated the old version of Google Maps, but made it better instead of worse.
I feel so dirty now :(
Sam