# "Google Earth"- wow.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-wow/310240
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [June 28, 2005, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-wow/310240 "2005-06-28T18:16:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2005, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-wow/310240/1 "2005-06-28T18:16:36Z")
[http://earth.google.com/](http://earth.google.com/)
It’s kind of a 3D satellite client for Google Maps, with a ton more cool features. Zooming, tilting, superimposed markers for bars, schools, restaurants, ATMs, whatever.
Larger cities have 3D models of buildings, so you can re-create cityscapes, or see them from different angles.
Part of me thinks Google is actually trying to take over the entire internet, and another part of me thinks that really wouldn’t be so bad.
---
### Author:  [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2005, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-wow/310240/2 "2005-06-28T19:24:55Z")
Crazy stuff, pretty cool. 🙂
---
### Author:  [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2005, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-wow/310240/3 "2005-06-28T20:01:52Z")
Very awesome, except I wish they’d use the USGS maps when they’re better…the resolution in my hometown is craptastic, and Terraserver does a much better job with that particular area.
That said, combining google’s search functionality with satellite maps is awesome.
---
### Author:  [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2005, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-wow/310240/4 "2005-06-28T20:32:20Z")
“Apple Macintosh computers are not supported at this time.”
Apparently they’re not trying to take over the _entire_ internet…
---
### Author:  [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2005, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-wow/310240/5 "2005-06-28T20:46:30Z")
> [@SolGrundy](#):
>
> “Apple Macintosh computers are not supported at this time.”
>
> Apparently they’re not trying to take over the _entire_ internet…
Yeah, this is about the first time ever I’ve been grateful to have Windows at work.
---
### Author:  [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-wow/310240/6 "2005-06-28T20:51:18Z")
Wanna know what’s cool? I have lived in this little apartment building for more than 5 years. You can actually see my car parked in my spot.
---
### Author:  [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2005, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-wow/310240/7 "2005-06-28T20:58:44Z")
Sweet, it’s the old Keyhole app, which I would try with a free demo every few months with a new email address…
---
### Author:  [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2005, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-wow/310240/8 "2005-06-28T22:33:23Z")
Crap, I need to mow my lawn again.
---
### Author:  [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2005, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-wow/310240/9 "2005-06-28T22:34:49Z")
> [@SolGrundy](#):
>
> “Apple Macintosh computers are not supported at this time.”
>
> Apparently they’re not trying to take over the _entire_ internet…
At least they say they’re “working on it.”
---
### Author:  [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2005, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-wow/310240/10 "2005-06-28T22:51:51Z")
So are these current images? I ask because this morning I left our SUV parked at an angle, half way down the drive way…and that’s how it is showing up on the image. (I never park the car like this).
---
### Author:  [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2005, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-wow/310240/11 "2005-06-28T22:58:32Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#):
>
> So are these current images? I ask because this morning I left our SUV parked at an angle, half way down the drive way…and that’s how it is showing up on the image. (I never park the car like this).
No. As cool as it sounds, Google does not have a network of real-time high-resolution cameras positioned above the earth.
---
### Author:  [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2005, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-wow/310240/12 "2005-06-28T23:01:38Z")
Then I have gone crazy. Awesome. 🙂
---
### Author:  [@rexnervous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rexnervous)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2005, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-wow/310240/13 "2005-06-28T23:22:55Z")
Wow. Is. Right.
Incredible. Can’t wait 'til they get more areas in hi-res. Love to see some of places I’ve lived around the world again, up close.
---
### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-wow/310240/14 "2005-06-29T00:51:24Z")
Just amazing.
---
### Author:  [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-wow/310240/15 "2005-06-29T01:27:46Z")
> [@Garfield226](#):
>
> No. As cool as it sounds, Google does not have a network of real-time high-resolution cameras positioned above the earth.
Give 'em a coupla months.
GOOD:
Yes, it’s cool, fun, and has lots of neat tricks. Great to be liberated from north orientation, and the tilt is good. I like the drawing pin thingy.
BAD:
The photographic library can’t live up to the tech. Tilting a 2-D photo looks just weird. My house ends up as a roof sitting on the lawn. The 3-D cities look cheesy.
---
### Author:  [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-wow/310240/16 "2005-06-29T01:38:52Z")
> [@Garfield226](#):
>
> No. As cool as it sounds, Google does not have a network of real-time high-resolution cameras positioned above the earth.
Sure. That’s what they’re telling _us_. What does the CIA have–“Google Spy”?
---
### Author:  [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-wow/310240/17 "2005-06-29T02:11:30Z")
My house is under a cloud. ☹
---
### Author:  [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-wow/310240/18 "2005-06-29T02:20:37Z")
Is this a front end for Google Maps, or something more?
---
### Author:  [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-wow/310240/19 "2005-06-29T02:23:02Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#):
>
> My house is under a cloud. ☹
Mine is in the fuzzy part of Toronto. This may or may not be on purpose.
---
### Author:  [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-wow/310240/20 "2005-06-29T02:24:55Z")
> [@scr4](#):
>
> Is this a front end for Google Maps, or something more?
The maps that it downloads seem to be identical to the ones used in the satellite portion of [maps.google.com](http://maps.google.com)
However, the program provides more functionality: it allows you to overlay layers of things (roads, water features, landmarks, retail establishments, etc.; it allows you to search for directions and then follow the actual roads used in a smooth fashion, turning with the road and such; it allows you to easily tag maps with locations and notes (something I don’t think you can do with the online version). There’s probably more, but that’s what I recognized as different.
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-wow/310240.md?page=2)