2 ms·

Devil's advocate, what exactly can this do that we couldn't do 10 years ago? What achievement are we revelling in? That they've managed to replicate something

• markdog12 10y ago
  It's actually using native code via PNaCL. I know it only works in Chrome, and it'd be nice if it was WebAssembly, but maybe they're using stuff that WebAssembly does not yet provide, like threads, simd, etc..
• dullgiulio 10y ago
  That's only part of the marvel. The other part is the data that enables this. I am not sure 10 years ago Google had the 3D planimetry data it has now (I am looking at my small hometown and seeing it all in 3D, for example.) Other than that, the web version has some new features, possibilities etc., compared to the old desktop version. But that's more debatable perhaps.
• VLM 10y ago
  The old google earth was like an atlas and you could look at anything you'd like and draw your own opinions and experiences based on what you saw. The new one is marketed like the plague of interpretive centers that turn free discovery into a linear factory commodity experience of being told what is important, what to look at, and what facts to regurgitate on command. I suspect the new one will be very popular for school teachers.