-------- Original Message --------
Subject:        Re: Use of Google Earth to visualize data
Date:   Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:12:07 -0500
From:   Andrew Turner <[log in to unmask]>
To:     [log in to unmask]
CC:     Andrew Turner <[log in to unmask]>



The major underlying component here isn't "Google Earth" or Maps visualization, but more
generally sharing out your data as KML. KML (Keyhole Markup Language) is the file format that
Google Earth created, and is now an OGC standard for geographic visualization of vector and
raster overlays.

By providing your data out as KML you can then easily create any kind of browser or desktop
visualizations and be free from any vendor lock-in or potential terms of service. This is
particularly important when considering the clarified Google Maps terms of service that make it
clear that any data displayed on Google Maps API states:

"By submitting, posting or displaying Your Content you give Google a perpetual, irrevocable,
worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate,
publicly perform, publicly display and distribute Your Content."

For examples of other map interfaces, check out Harvard's AfricaMap:
http://cga-3.hmdc.harvard.edu/africamap/

or these bookmarks:
http://delicious.com/tag/mapbasedinterface

Andrew
http://highearthorbit.com -- http://geocommons.com