Google Earth

[Octoman]

Has anyone else seen this new program from Google?  You need to download it to your computer then it seems like you type in the address of what you are looking for and you will zoom in to an aerial view!  It does other stuff too like give directions and finds hotels etc!  Looks really cool, think it started up in september, i've already wasted a couple of hours on it today already!! :D :D

[Jeff]

Its actually been around longer then that, I think I down loaded it back in mid summer. Its pretty awsome to play with. I just wish the areas I wanted to look at had as much zoom as the urban stuff.

[Furby]

I agree, had the same trouble on some other programs.
Why would I wanna zoom in on a shopping mall?

[Radar67]

If I'm not mistaken, Google Earth came from an old site called terrafirma. The old site used Russian satellite images. The images concentrated on urban areas during the cold war. Thus, good quality images in the "target" areas. They (Google Earth) now use more up to date images (they claim taken within the last three years). Just my nickles worth of info.  ;D

[SwampDonkey]

Awe you guys got it rough ;D. Furby, rememer those MrSID images?? Well they're multi resolution (as the name emplies) and I can zoom to any scale I want. The webpage that has them (Service NB), also has an index of maps with all the place names in New Brunswick, even the 'out in the middle of no-where ones'. I wonder if your DNR or Public Works has them? I believe that thread that was started (by pappy I think) quite some time ago, about MicroSofts Terraserver, has some or the USGS???

[MSU_Keith]

Michigan has all kinds of great data - free for the downloading at:

http://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/mgdl/

Most states have their own GIS department now-a-days.  You just need front end software to explore the data.  I recommend Accuglobe - its free, fairly capable and user freindly.  My county actually has several GIS specialists on staff full time and their always helpful.  All the county data (including platt boundaries searchable by owners name!) is online viewable but can't be downloaded.  Check out:

LONG LINK

Lots of great data but sometimes the privacy issues are sort of scary.

[SwampDonkey]

Yup, I was thinking they must. They show addresses, ownership, tax assessment, area, GPS coordinates and shapes. Here you can get all that for $10/month for 10 hours access. But, if you go to a Forest Products Marketing Board and use theirs it's free. That's how alot of loggers find out who owns what, then they approach the owner for cutting rights or stumpage. As you might guess, it also allows the bold timber thief to steel wood from an absantee lot.  It sure is alot nicer than digging through cabinets of old obsolete maps.

[Ernie]

Wow what a slow site at 33.6K, looks like I'll have to investigate getting broadband but being the last phone on an ancient rural copper exchange, I don't like my chances :( :( :(

[SwampDonkey]

Ernie, I here ya. I have to get someone with broadband from here or from an IRC network to download and email me MrSID images. When I try, it times out on the very end of the download. Talk about a pain in the keaster. :D

[Ernie]

When I try, it times out on the very end of the download. Talk about a pain in the keaster. :D

Try DAP 7.5, it is a free download accelerator with a great "Resume" functionfor those "Timed out" pains in th b---.

Here is the D'l site

http://www.speedbit.com/

[MSU_Keith]

I feel bad for ya - loads up real fast on my T1 connection here at work  8)

[Paschale]

Why would I wanna zoom in on a shopping mall?

:D :D  I hear ya, Jason.

[SwampDonkey]

Ernie thanks, but Firefox has resume also and on that site it don't work. This old line I have at the house does well to dialup. :D :D To tell you the truth I think it's a flaky server to start with as some folks on fast connections have been 'throttled' with a message saying the site has placed restrictions on download speeds, or something to that effect.  I've contacted them about my dialup problems and they come up with every run around imaginable without addressing the problem.  I got tired of corresponding with people that have pre-programed and illogical responses. :

[sawguy21]

I just downloaded it on Firefox with no problems. That is unbelievable . I picked out my house and garage. Just hope nobody decides to nuke it. ;D One thing that I noticed is that the image of the city centre is in spring or summer but when I move over to my neighbourhood it is a winter shot.

[SwampDonkey]

Sawguy21, from which site?

[sawguy21]

I dunno. I just googled it ;D and downloaded. I could not figure out how to open at first. I found the icon when I went to shut down,clicked on it and it worked.