Google Earth

Back in April, I mentioned NASA’s World Wind visualisation application for PCs. Today, I came across Google’s version of this type of application: Google Earth. This is an even more amazing visualisation application for map-based data. It’s still in beta, and still heavily biased towards US-based information, but it shows the possibilities of this type of application.

 

Warning 1: you’ll need a modern PC (no Mac version is currently available) and a broadband connection to even think about installing this application.

 

Warning 2: the old adage of Garbage In, Garbage Out applies. The data behind this can’t always be relied on. As an example, I looked at the map of the Isle of Man. Towns are usually shown in the wrong place (e.g. Onchan and Ramsey) and the mountain Snaefell is incorrectly located.