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Apps with maps use a specific and different Mercator projection which produces a nice quadtree for dynamically loading data. This is possible with other projec
by SR2Z 14d ago
Apps with maps use a specific and different Mercator projection which produces a nice quadtree for dynamically loading data. This is possible with other projections too, but reprojection and training users to expect a different looking map is expensive.
Almost nobody plots courses of constant bearing on a map. Almost nobody uses a map to measure area either.
99% of the use cases for maps these days are for local navigation where artifacts are minor. The differences in map projection are basically irrelevant to users in these cases.
- JambalayaJimbo 14d agoMeasuring area is a different use case to looking at the world map to get a sense of relative sizes - of continents, countries, regions, etc. This in turns influences how you think about history, population density, travel times, etc.
- SR2Z 14d agoBut what if I'm looking at a world map to get a sense of where different cities fall on different latitude lines to gauge their climate?