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Google Maps changed the way we get around. It all began in a bedroom in Sydney

21 points by kawera 2y ago

EfficientDude 2y ago
>The Guardian lol MapQuest actually changed the way we get around. It all began in 1967 in Chicago.
- written-beyond 2y ago
  I don't understand why they never get more credit
  - EfficientDude 2y ago
    [dead]
bigfatkitten 2y ago
And since then, much like search, Google has apparently been on a mission to ruin Maps. There are many stories of Google Maps getting people stranded in remote locations. Anecdotally, I find its route suggestions become less sensible every year. Last month I took a drive through regional Australia from Swan Hill to Albury. The quickest, safest, most fuel efficient and easiest route is to follow B400 Murray Valley Highway all the way, and this is what Apple Maps suggested. Google Maps, on the other hand absolutely refused to do this. It insisted on routing me down dirt tracks in the middle of nowhere, even when I added every major town on the route as an intermediate stop. This is the sort of thing that gets people stranded and killed.
- netsharc 2y ago
  > And since then, much like search, Google has apparently been on a mission to ruin Maps. That's an unfair and inaccurate statement. It's not like they started perfect and has only gotten worse. Maps has gotten shittier, but for me (or I've only noticed it) only since the last few years. I usually use it, even for known routes, to be noitified of traffic jams. And last year it started to offer a new route out of my neighborhood, which is basically "Drive into this dead-end road, and before you reach the end, turn right down these set of stairs"...
  - bigfatkitten 2y ago
    I didn't suggest they were ever perfect, but as with search, they got to a point where they were pretty good before taking a rapid nosedive.
burlistic 2y ago
I heard a story, that I often recounted, that Google was famously made in the one day a week (10%) time engineers got for personal projects and development. Seems I was misinformed and been spreading a falsehood all these years. Oh well. Now I know.
hulitu 2y ago
> Google Maps changed the way we get around. It all began in a bedroom in Sydney I guess "The Guardian" is in financial difficulties. They don't have money to pay students to find out about iGo, TomTom and others. And the funniest part: they want money for this "article". /s
- Angostura 2y ago
  All of which were available for free on your phone? I don't think its unfair to say that Google Maps changed the way that most people (we) get around, particularly outside of car travel.
  - hagbard_c 2y ago
    MapQuest was available for free (and still is). They started in 1996 so tended to be used more on PCs than phones but once those evolved into pocket internet terminals you could use it there as well.
googledonkeyb 2y ago
Too bad Google maps is a pile of garbage now. Directions that include advertisements. Nonsensical naming of bodies of water. Google eats a bag of dicks more and more every day.

21 points by kawera 2y ago

EfficientDude 2y ago

>The Guardian lol MapQuest actually changed the way we get around. It all began in 1967 in Chicago.

written-beyond 2y ago
I don't understand why they never get more credit
- EfficientDude 2y ago
  [dead]

bigfatkitten 2y ago

And since then, much like search, Google has apparently been on a mission to ruin Maps. There are many stories of Google Maps getting people stranded in remote locations. Anecdotally, I find its route suggestions become less sensible every year. Last month I took a drive through regional Australia from Swan Hill to Albury. The quickest, safest, most fuel efficient and easiest route is to follow B400 Murray Valley Highway all the way, and this is what Apple Maps suggested. Google Maps, on the other hand absolutely refused to do this. It insisted on routing me down dirt tracks in the middle of nowhere, even when I added every major town on the route as an intermediate stop. This is the sort of thing that gets people stranded and killed.

netsharc 2y ago
> And since then, much like search, Google has apparently been on a mission to ruin Maps. That's an unfair and inaccurate statement. It's not like they started perfect and has only gotten worse. Maps has gotten shittier, but for me (or I've only noticed it) only since the last few years. I usually use it, even for known routes, to be noitified of traffic jams. And last year it started to offer a new route out of my neighborhood, which is basically "Drive into this dead-end road, and before you reach the end, turn right down these set of stairs"...
- bigfatkitten 2y ago
  I didn't suggest they were ever perfect, but as with search, they got to a point where they were pretty good before taking a rapid nosedive.

burlistic 2y ago

I heard a story, that I often recounted, that Google was famously made in the one day a week (10%) time engineers got for personal projects and development. Seems I was misinformed and been spreading a falsehood all these years. Oh well. Now I know.

hulitu 2y ago

> Google Maps changed the way we get around. It all began in a bedroom in Sydney I guess "The Guardian" is in financial difficulties. They don't have money to pay students to find out about iGo, TomTom and others. And the funniest part: they want money for this "article". /s

Angostura 2y ago
All of which were available for free on your phone? I don't think its unfair to say that Google Maps changed the way that most people (we) get around, particularly outside of car travel.
- hagbard_c 2y ago
  MapQuest was available for free (and still is). They started in 1996 so tended to be used more on PCs than phones but once those evolved into pocket internet terminals you could use it there as well.

googledonkeyb 2y ago

Too bad Google maps is a pile of garbage now. Directions that include advertisements. Nonsensical naming of bodies of water. Google eats a bag of dicks more and more every day.