# Anybody else played with Google Earth yet? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 12, 2005, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-played-with-google-earth-yet/312093 "2005-07-12T00:39:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JonScribe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3be4f8/32.png) [@JonScribe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JonScribe)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-played-with-google-earth-yet/312093/1 "2005-07-12T00:39:37Z")
Man, this even beats Internet porn. [Link.](http://earth.google.com/) You have to download it to your computer. And it doesn’t work on Macs yet. But using satellite photos, it flies you from place to place, with some pretty good resolution, at least in urban areas. It’s just fun to fool around with. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-played-with-google-earth-yet/312093/2 "2005-07-12T00:50:54Z")
I played a bit, but was disappointed to find that all the non-us maps were extremely low resolution. I had more fun with my own program with an arial map of the Isle of Man. With resolution good enough to make cars about a centimeter long. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-played-with-google-earth-yet/312093/3 "2005-07-12T00:51:07Z")
Yeah, I’ve travelled a lot with it. There is a little bit [Here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=323193&highlight=Google+Earth), more people DLing it really. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-played-with-google-earth-yet/312093/4 "2005-07-12T00:52:25Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > I played a bit, but was disappointed to find that all the non-us maps were extremely low resolution. I had more fun with my own program with an arial map of the Isle of Man. With resolution good enough to make cars about a centimeter long. Not all the non-US maps are. In the other thread, I lamented that a lot of Sydney was high res, but the harbor where the Opera House is was blurry. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-played-with-google-earth-yet/312093/5 "2005-07-12T01:00:36Z")
> [@Duke of Rat](#): > > Not all the non-US maps are. In the other thread, I lamented that a lot of Sydney was high res, but the harbor where the Opera House is was blurry. To be honest I mistook this for the online thingy google had a month or so ago. However the IOM is still not as detailed as the app I have. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-played-with-google-earth-yet/312093/6 "2005-07-12T01:22:04Z")
> [@Duke of Rat](#): > > Not all the non-US maps are. In the other thread, I lamented that a lot of Sydney was high res, but the harbor where the Opera House is was blurry. My house is high res (western suburbs). Favourite places so so far: - My house. - Railway infrastructure around Sydney (I’m a train nerd). - Uluru, and Ka… K … you know, the Olgas. - Vatican City - Rome - Venice - Red Square - Arecibo radio observatory - NYC ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-played-with-google-earth-yet/312093/7 "2005-07-12T01:24:28Z")
Forgot the aeroplane graveyard in the Mojave Desert. Way cool. Various world airports are good too. Cape Canaveral. Also farmland in the middle of nowhere is interesting, especially if you zoom out a bit and see the manmade patterns in the landscape. Some interesting stuff in the Middle East too. ---
**Author:** ![aeropl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@aeropl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aeropl)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-played-with-google-earth-yet/312093/8 "2005-07-12T01:58:49Z")
This is one of the coolest programs ever. Has anyone tried to use an image overlays? There’s a lot of stuff you could do with this but I don’t know where to start. I hope that somehow the next version of Flight Simulator could use this data to provide a very realistic view. Somehow I don’t think Microsoft would use Google’s data now that they are competitors. ---
**Author:** ![JonScribe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3be4f8/32.png) [@JonScribe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JonScribe)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-played-with-google-earth-yet/312093/9 "2005-07-12T02:23:52Z")
Supposedly, Microsoft is working on its own version of this program, which I would guess could easily be melded into the Flight Sim. ---
**Author:** ![Tenar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@Tenar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenar)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-played-with-google-earth-yet/312093/10 "2005-07-12T02:36:17Z")
Woo Hoo! There’s my crappy house! Wait a minute – that’s my OLD roof! My new roof is grey… ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-played-with-google-earth-yet/312093/11 "2005-07-12T05:47:18Z")
> [@JonScribe](#): > > You have to download it to your computer Or Linux ☹ I wonder why it’s platform-dependent? Everything else Google has done has been. Odd. ---
**Author:** ![Mac\_Guffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mac\_Guffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mac_Guffin)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-played-with-google-earth-yet/312093/12 "2005-07-12T05:58:37Z")
Anyone have the coordinates for the nevada proving grounds? I think I found groom lake… ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-played-with-google-earth-yet/312093/13 "2005-07-12T07:29:03Z")
The fun thing is I can date the photo of my area to the nearest month, because the roof has been replaced (silver not red) but the landscaping hasn’t been done yet. And yes, the photos of the UK seem to be notably low res. Central Auckland is low res. Patches of the North Shore are high res, it’s just luck of the draw. Well, presumably it’ll just get better and better. ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-played-with-google-earth-yet/312093/14 "2005-07-12T14:22:13Z")
> [@Mac Guffin](#): > > Anyone have the coordinates for the nevada proving grounds? I think I found groom lake… “Area 51” is already in your Sightseeing folder by default – just turn that placemark on and double-click its name to zoom to its location. Also, check out the Keyhole BBS for user-submitted placemarks. For example, I sent in placemarks for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base including their whole outdoor museum. Edwards AFB in California is also fun to look at – there are some great obscure planes just sitting out on the runway. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-played-with-google-earth-yet/312093/15 "2005-07-12T14:36:47Z")
If you download the free professional trial, you get the terrain in 3d. Not a big deal until you head over to a place like the Grand Canyon. Very cool. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-played-with-google-earth-yet/312093/16 "2005-07-12T14:47:27Z")
> [@Jurph](#): > > Edwards AFB in California is also fun to look at – there are some great obscure planes just sitting out on the runway. Holy cow, those look like SR71’s. 34 57’ 12.28" N 117 52’ 59.40" W ---
**Author:** ![TwoOnSunday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@TwoOnSunday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoOnSunday)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-played-with-google-earth-yet/312093/17 "2005-07-12T14:54:26Z")
The pic of my job is definitely old…there is an empty lot in the picture, but an actual building sits there now. I’ve noticed that a lot of the Chicago addresses are mapped incorrectly. Typically they’re 2-3 houses away from where they really are. But, I was happy to find out that my potential new apartment has 3 parks near it and a small yard 🙂 Although, I can’t seem to shake the feeling I’m spying on people. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-played-with-google-earth-yet/312093/18 "2005-07-12T15:19:39Z")
I’m pretty pleased with it (and how could I say otherwise: it’s all free!) but I still think that NASA’s (also free) [World Wind](http://worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/) has it mostly beat. No street overlays, but much better control over the view using the mouse and tons of cool overlays. The topo maps kick ass and the MODIS stuff is soopa-fun to look at. ---
**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-played-with-google-earth-yet/312093/19 "2005-07-12T17:59:44Z")
> [@KidCharlemagne](#): > > If you download the free professional trial, you get the terrain in 3d. Not a big deal until you head over to a place like the Grand Canyon. Very cool. The 3d terrain is available in the totally free version. As is the import overlay feature, which I used to throw a plat map over my house to see property lines and such. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-played-with-google-earth-yet/312093/20 "2005-07-12T19:10:16Z")
> [@Jpeg Jones](#): > > The 3d terrain is available in the totally free version. As is the import overlay feature, which I used to throw a plat map over my house to see property lines and such. Hmmm. I tried the free version but downloaded the pro trial because it said it had 3D terrain. I only looked at 3D terrain on significantly mountainous regions when I got the pro version, but what I recall of the free version was that it was completely flat. You could put up 3d buildings in cities, but the terrain was still flat. Are you sure? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-played-with-google-earth-yet/312093.md?page=2)