november 2009 archives

Friday, November 06, 2009

New looks: MapQuest v. Google Maps

Earlier this year, Google Maps finally took over MapQuest's lead position in the US mapping arena based on the number of monthly unique visitors. Within a week of each other, both mapping websites have just changed their cartographic styles improve the legibility of their maps in another attempt to differentiate themselves and to attract more visitors. Google Maps was the first to unveil its new look and feel, marked by refinements to the colour, density, typography, and road styling worldwide, closely followed by MapQuest's overhaul of its map styles.

A few weeks ago, Google Maps already went through a major update of its maps of the US, as it had enriched its base maps with mapping data from sources such as the US Forest Service and the US Geological Survey. The more recent change was not just about adding more data just in the US, but marked the most significant change of its look and feel since Google Maps was first launched and impacted its cartographic styles right across the globe.

MapQuest's introduction of vegetation and relief imagery can be seen as merely an attempt to match the current visual expectations. Google Maps and Yahoo Maps have these features since November and May 2007 respectively. Actually, Ask Maps was the first to introduce its physical maps already back in May 2006. Similarly, the addition of more building footprints and subway stations is only MapQuest catching up with Google Transit.

Both Google Maps and MapQuest have created a cartographic look and feel for the Map style that has a bigger contrast between the background detail of local roads and important orientation guides such as major thoroughfares. Particularly on Google Maps, the road casing is much more subtle and the local roads are much thinner on the larger scales, making it easier to pick out fine detail in the complex local road shapes. MapQuest change of colour of the interstates from red to blue is quite remarkable, although Rand McNally also uses blue for interstates. The labeling is much crisper and the thin halo sets it apart from the map, making for better legibility.

Another improvement that both mapping websites have pushed is the hybrid style. While Google Maps seems to have added more roads on smaller map scales, MapQuest appears to have removed roads. It's always a very difficult balance to strike, really. Although the road casings on the map style have been thinned, they have been made more prominent in the hybrid style. Roads are much more easier to follow on the satellite or aerial imagery in the background.

All in all, it's really encouraging to see these mapping websites embracing cartographic style as a means to differentiate and to make their maps more user-friendly and attractive. However, these mapping websites are so pervasive, that they are now very much establishing people's expectations of what maps should look like. Any map, really. Even when the map is not for reference or car navigation.  permanent link for this entry

Monday, November 02, 2009

QGIS Developer Meeting

Just recovered from his jetlag upon his return from Sydney, where he attended FOSS4G 2009 together with other members of the OpenGeoGroep, Richard has already booked his next trip. He'll be attending the Quantum GIS Developer Meeting in Vienna, 5-9 November.

QGIS logo. For about a year now, Richard serves as a member of the Release Management Team for Quantum GIS. Also, he is the gatekeeper for the Dutch GUI translations. Already in Sydney, he caught up with some of the MapServer developers to join the Code Sprint on Thursday. There has been some discussion about adding the XML-MAP-format as an option in the QGIS-Mapserver export plugin. To get this working from the Quantum GIS side as well, Richard will hopefully get some developers in Vienna together to work en discuss different options for this.  permanent link for this entry