Google earth application

[Sairon]

So I just found out that there's a release of a new version of google earth at http://earth.google.com/. Anyway, the level of detail is astonishing, I wonder how much pixel data they have stored. The application uses streaming so a decent connection is most likely preferred, I haven't had any problems whatsoever with that part, however I'm on 100mbit so I wouldn't notice.

I can zoom down to the level where I can see the apartment house I'm currently at in a very tiny little society in southern Sweden, it even tells me the name of the street. For the major cities it's possible to gather even more information. I must say it's a very intresting project to say the least.

[Stormwaltz]

I like the new ability to overlay historical maps (everything from Tokyo in 1680 to the full globe in the 1790s).

I'm still waiting on the edge of my chair for someone with coding know-how make an interactive gaming interface. X-Com, anyone?

[schild]

Risk should be easy enough, rite?

[tazelbain]

Ya, someone did.  They got C&D'd.  Apparently Google is very uptight about what you use it for.

[WayAbvPar]

Wow, that is pretty amazing stuff. I might have to spell out a message on my roof for the next time they update the photos (which looks like it has been awhile, since my back deck and shed aren't in the photo).

[Sky]

It's cool, for public-level imagery. The gov has much better stuff, but I can tell who is at work the day they overflew by looking in the parking lot. Not quite as good as the MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter), which can get detail of the shadow of the camera arm on the mars rover. I wish the 3d option was a little better, checking out some of the mountains I've climbed is cool.

I wish it weren't pure garbage on the intel GMA in OSX, though. Seems to run a bit better in windows.

[Strazos]

The need to do new pictures of southern NJ.

Well, they don't NEED to, but it would be neat.

[Yegolev]

They just recently updated the pic of my house.  I think most of you missed my shot of where I dumped my Christmas tree.

[Azazel]

Just checked it out. On the positive, the images of my area are much more recent (the local park can be seen to be dried out and dead because of the drought here) on the other hand, most of the area where I live is obscured by clouds or shadowed by those same clouds. Ace.

[Trippy]

So I just found out that there's a release of a new version of google earth at http://earth.google.com/. Anyway, the level of detail is astonishing, I wonder how much pixel data they have stored. The application uses streaming so a decent connection is most likely preferred, I haven't had any problems whatsoever with that part, however I'm on 100mbit so I wouldn't notice.

Yes the detail is amazing which is unfortunately why terrorists are using that information as well.

[Jayce]

So I just found out that there's a release of a new version of google earth at http://earth.google.com/. Anyway, the level of detail is astonishing, I wonder how much pixel data they have stored. The application uses streaming so a decent connection is most likely preferred, I haven't had any problems whatsoever with that part, however I'm on 100mbit so I wouldn't notice.

Yes the detail is amazing which is unfortunately why terrorists are using that information as well.

This strikes me as sensationalist crap by the media.  They talk about it being important over a simple map because it lets them identify vulnerable structures, like tents.

The satellite photographs show in detail the buildings inside the bases and vulnerable areas such as tented accommodation, lavatory blocks and where lightly armoured Land Rovers are parked.
...
It is unclear how old the maps are but it is believed the Basra images were made within the past two years.

Where Land Rovers were parked... two years ago.   And how freaking long do they keep tents in one place?  I think the terrorists could probably get a glimpse of these tents IRL sometime in the two years since the images were taken, without resorting to teh intarnets.

[Yegolev]

Last I checked, bombs and mortars and grenades were AOE anyway.  Maybe there was a nerf?

[CmdrSlack]

Last I checked, bombs and mortars and grenades were AOE anyway.  Maybe there was a nerf?

LOS only now.

[Sky]

OMG what a huge nerf. Everyone knows one of the main reasons you use those weapons is to get around LoS! Duck behind your cover, I'll 'nade your campin' ass!

[Viin]

Google Earth is pretty cool, I think they are doing well with it. Microsoft Virtual Earth is also interesting, but they've had to play catch to Google since Google throws a ton of money into seemingly random projects. Sat imagery isn't cheap, even the older stuff - especially if you get into the higher resolution images.

But, image age is the name of the game. You can have super high res images but if they are 5 years old they aren't doing anyone any good. Whoever can keep shelling out the money to keep the images up to date will be the winner here. And expect sponsored ads to show up soon!

[angry.bob]

As neat as this is, I wish Google would put their time, energy, and money into improving their search results. They've been spammy, spammy, useless shit for the last two years. With the sandbox as well as -30, and -750 penalties being applied to legitimate authority sites while the sites that scraped them shooting to the top ten, Google is just fucking useless garbage.

[Engels]

Wait, what, you want a search engine to actually act like a search engine? /smackupsidedehead. That's crazy talk!

[Signe]

I can't wait until Google perfects this so I can actually peek through all your windows!

[climbjtree]

The reason the imagery is dangerous to installations in Iraq is because all you need in order to put your rounds on target is a solid direction and distance from where you're going to shoot from. If you already know those two things, you don't need anyone to observe the impacts to adjust your rounds on target. This allows the insurgents to fire a volley of several rounds and run away without wasting time observing and adjusting.

60mm mortars require that you be able to see the impacts to make corrections to your previous shots. 80mm+ do not, however, with google earth, insurgents can fire smaller mortar systems from completely covered and concealed positions. By eliminating the guess work, they become pretty accurate.

[voodoolily]

It's funny, I use GoogleEarth for obtaining aerials of my study areas all the time. It works great for when I have projects near airports, where the Army Corps of Engineers (my usual source) won't allow me obtain those aerials due to national security, and/or because TerraServer's photos are too outdated and B&W instead of color. I'm surprised the COE allows Google to have, let alone publish photos of potential security issue areas (eg. ports, military facilities, etc.). I wonder what happens if you search for NORAD?

[Big Gulp]

I wonder what happens if you search for NORAD?

You see Cheyenne Mountain, just like anyone who lives in Colorado Springs (Hint, it's to the left of Pike's Peak and has a shitload of antennae sticking out of it).

[Trippy]

60mm mortars require that you be able to see the impacts to make corrections to your previous shots. 80mm+ do not, however, with google earth, insurgents can fire smaller mortar systems from completely covered and concealed positions. By eliminating the guess work, they become pretty accurate.

Why the difference between 60mm and 80mm mortars?

[climbjtree]

The larger the projectile, the further the range, typically. If I'm not mistaken, 60mm mortars range up to 4-5 km. 81mm's are something like 10km, so you'd usually need a fire direction control center to factor in meteorological information due to the high trajectory of mortars. Also, because of the longer range, you really need someone to observe the impacts, and you need the FDC to figure up the math work since the mortar teams are shooting at something they cant see and rely on the target location/corrections from an observer. Artillery ranges up to 19km with standard rounds, and naval gunfire even further.

That may or may not be informative. I'm drunk and tired.

(60mm mortars use an optical sight, and each crew makes their own observations and corrections )

[HaemishM]

The maps of my area are easily 5 years old, and I live in the first world (well the third world part of the first world anyway). I'm not too worried about terrorists using these things.

[Sky]

Point being, if they know you've set up command hq at the walmart in biloxi, they can get coords to it, they know where it is/was. Doesn't have to actually show you there.

[sigil]

Point being, if they know you've set up command hq at the walmart in biloxi, they can get coords to it, they know where it is/was. Doesn't have to actually show you there.

Not that there's a Walmart standing in Biloxi at this time ;)

[Sky]

Exactly. Katrina had Google Earth.

[bhodi]

I actually want to give google earth some credit -- the before and after katrina maps really brought home the devistation to me and some co-workers, and probably helped the 'donate' arena quite a bit.

[Sky]

Yeah, I'm just being smarmy. GE is a friggin' incredible app. I've been using it while house/land hunting, and it's been amazingly useful.

"50k for this parcel? No way, it's half swamp."
"Naw it ain't."
"Here, check out this satellite imagery..."
"..."

I kinda chuckle thinking about home buying when I was a kid, how much it's changed. Now I have satellite maps, area comps, road maps, mls data sheets, tax data sheets, all printed from the intardweb. Wicked cool. (now if I can only find something nice with a realistic seller...)

[koboshi]

Yeah, I'm just being smarmy. GE is a friggin' incredible app. I've been using it while house/land hunting, and it's been amazingly useful.

"50k for this parcel? No way, it's half swamp."
"Naw it ain't."
"Here, check out this satellite imagery..."
"..."

I kinda chuckle thinking about home buying when I was a kid, how much it's changed. Now I have satellite maps, area comps, road maps, mls data sheets, tax data sheets, all printed from the intardweb. Wicked cool. (now if I can only find something nice with a realistic seller...)

    I just got finished doing the same thing. I took an online map, see earlier post, and dropped it into GE.  Because I ride my bike instead of driving, this turned out to be a very smart move.  Knowing where the hills are gives me that much more confidence in my decision.  The greatest part was I could set the topographic info to 3x so the area would look as bad as it would feel when riding. But I wish you could switch to a roadmap view like Google maps, the topographic and photographic info together was a little out of my low-end system’s range.

  On a different point, if you added life size avatars to GE and let them interact online you would have the best mmochatbox ever.  Imagine teleconferencing in the city you’re talking to or better yet at the top of Everest, or just meet up with your old friends form high school back in the old neighborhood.
 

[diredse]

which can get detail of the shadow of the camera arm on the mars rover. I wish the 3d option was a little better, checking out some of the mountains I've climbed is cool.

[Yegolev]

The maps of my area are easily 5 years old, and I live in the first world (well the third world part of the first world anyway). I'm not too worried about terrorists using these things.

If a terrorist bombs you, they missed.

[HaemishM]

Exactly. If I ever become important enough for a terrorist to bomb, I reckon I'll have had a good life.

[Sky]

Exactly. If I ever become important enough for a terrorist to bomb, I reckon I'll have had a good life.

Or you're a real douchebag. An imperialistic capitalist, maybe.