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Mapping in HTML – A Proposal for a New Element

shkspr.mobi

21–30 of 59 posts

Re: Mapping in HTML – A Proposal for a New Element

#21

Is this suggesting that this would rely on browser implementation? ... Is this serious? What motivation do browser-creators have to implement this? Google wants the javascript widget so they can properly track everything, among other reasons. Who would back this? Who would develop this? This isn't like playing a media file, this is a highly interactive piece of content, with a metric shitload of complexity behind it.…

> How about we get rid of all those external libraries as a dependency? Let's do what we did with and make mapping a first class element.

The difference is that you really can't do very well without . Handling encodings, using video hardware, being energy efficient...this is a lot of low-level graphics stuff. It's a primitive.

In contrast, you can make a map with JS and SVG/canvas/WebGL as good as a browser could do it.

Re: Mapping in HTML – A Proposal for a New Element

#22

Is this suggesting that this would rely on browser implementation? ... Is this serious? What motivation do browser-creators have to implement this? Google wants the javascript widget so they can properly track everything, among other reasons. Who would back this? Who would develop this? This isn't like playing a media file, this is a highly interactive piece of content, with a metric shitload of complexity behind it.…

Not the author, but let's address your questions: "Is this serious?" It doesn't appear to be a joke

"Who would back this? Who would develop this?" These are the same questions that the author is asking.

I agree it seems unlikely this feature would be very useful. Your post however is even less useful than a well articulated idea. This comment you made actually adds negative value due in part to nonsense hyperbole like "metric shitload of complexity," failing to dive into meaningful details.

Re: Mapping in HTML – A Proposal for a New Element

#24

This is the exact use case for web components, except it doesn’t require browsers shipping their own implementation and updates - it’s all in userland. Example: https://www.webcomponents.org/element/keanulee/good-map

I may be being naive, but how is that different than including Google Maps JS lib on your page? I assume that component is just a wrapper around the GMaps JS lib?

It allows you to use the element in your markup, rather than . Tbf, it would be more of an advantage if it used a better name than 'good-map'.

Re: Mapping in HTML – A Proposal for a New Element

#25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Presumably by dynamically adding (and styling) markers.

How would you know where to add them if you can't see where they are and what is around them? That's a big crux of the article, the browser shouldn't have/get to know where you are.

I thought the author might have meant not disclosing your location to third-party websites, but disclosing it to Google, for example. Presumably you'd be able to customise your map provider and have a consistent experience, which is one advantage of this approach.

Re: Mapping in HTML – A Proposal for a New Element

#27
I think Apple might like that with their privacy stance. It really does increase the user's privacy by never sharing the location with external parties.

It will also simplify things for the developers in simple use cases and offer more integration like "jump to native maps" etc

Re: Mapping in HTML – A Proposal for a New Element

#28
Probably the biggest problem with this idea is that all of the major geocoding facilities, including Google, say in their terms of service that you're only allowed to use their lat/longs on their own maps. You're not allowed to use Google's API to get the lat/long of an address and show it on a Bing map, but that's exactly what you'd do if Microsoft Edge offered a element.

Furthermore, in addition to violating the geocoders' TOS, the lat/longs won't look right on each others' maps. Lat/longs are hard; maps don't line up perfectly. Lat/longs are relative to your mapping provider.

Just use their SDK, OK?

Re: Mapping in HTML – A Proposal for a New Element

#29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I may be being naive, but how is that different than including Google Maps JS lib on your page? I assume that component is just a wrapper around the GMaps JS lib?

It allows you to use the element in your markup, rather than . Tbf, it would be more of an advantage if it used a better name than 'good-map'.

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