When they first started putting maps online, it was a catastrophe for me. I have always had a bad sense of direction, but with online maps my sense of direction went from bad to worse. They meant that I never had to pay attention to where I was going, you see. I could just follow the directions to my destination and get there. It even would tell you you how far you had to drive before each turn.
The problem was that the online maps were often inaccurate. Sometimes the data was outdated, sometimes it had mistakes, and sometimes it was missing crucial pieces of information. For example, online directions would occasionally send you the wrong way down a one-way street, give you the wrong exit name, or leave out other crucial details. As a matter of fact, during my brief but tragic love affair with online maps, I was late for about a quarter of my appointments – a new record.
Nonetheless, online maps and directions have come a long way since then. Although it is still wise to double check online driving directions, they are usually good enough to get you there with a little bit of attentiveness. Different people have different preferences, but MapQuest, Google Maps, and Yahoo Maps are all pretty good. They still do not beat the directions of a knowledgeable local, but they are often a good compliment – particularly if you're going to terra incognito.
Online maps, however, are good for much more than simple driving directions. As a matter of fact, the full potential of map online services is only just now being discovered. Anyone who has ever use Google Earth might know what I'm talking about. Using satellite photography, you can see an aerial map of basically any place on Earth! You can even combine it with local road information to create a hybrid map showing geographical features, along with a street map. Google Earth, however, is good for more than just sightseeing and map directions online.
As a matter of fact, Google Earth may just help improve human rights around the world. This is a pretty new approach to online maps, but if you check out the data on Darfur, you'll see what I'm talking about. Google has teamed up with a Holocaust Memorial Museum to show information about the ethnic cleansing in Darfur. You can actually look at the bombed out remains of villages, and see the destruction that has been done. They hope that they will be able to use the technology to create worldwide outrage at the situation.
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