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Google Maps has become an eyesore

fastcompany.com

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Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#51

Post by NPC82 »

ggm wrote: post #40

Some locals in Brisbane succeeded in getting a brief historical name for the central business district ("Frogs Hollow") boosted up as a locality name which shows up in several zoom levels. It's more prominent than the real name of the location (Gardens Point) sometimes. Nobody appears able to get this rescinded. Either its being contested, or the process boundaries on "this is graffiti") are limiting. I do quite a lo…

There's an entire fake park in my old neighborhood on Gmaps. I reported it ages ago and it's still there for no reason at all.

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#52

Post by oidar »

konspence wrote: post #32

I would add to this article that a major issue with Google Maps has been businesses trying to SEO-pad their business names on Google Maps, to the detriment of readability. This is also against their TOS – the "business name" form is supposed to be their legally registered business name, the one that they probably have signage for. Moderators simply don't enforce this, and with Map Maker basically gone, the community…

I was disappointed that apple took yelp stuff away from apple maps as well. For restaurants though, clicking on the "menu" link for restaurants takes me to the yelp page for that restaurant.

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#53

Post by suid »

cyberax wrote: post #17
not_your_vase wrote: post #2

Every time I use Google Maps, I feel so helpless, and frankly, stupid. On Desktop, I simply can't figure it out how to switch to A-B route mode, nor how to trigger street view. I literally just click randomly in a more and more frustrated way until suddenly the option appears. And on Android I just avoid the app. I hate that I couldn't turn off the automatic compass. Every time I finally manage to orient myself when…

> nor how to trigger street view You need to drag the "man" icon and drop it on the map. I had to google that.

And while you're carefully dragging the "man" over to the street you're interested in (an interesting multi-hand challenge with most trackpads), Maps starts wildly gyrating and sliding the map around in an infinite scroll because you didn't center the "man" within one second or whatever.

I hate that UI. Why can't we just click on the "man", and then click on a spot to drop it?

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#54

Post by duped »

zbrozek wrote: post #28
tananaev wrote: post #22

Probably not a popular opinion here, but I like Google Maps. Sure there's some clutter, but it's pretty good at navigation, public transit and searching for places. I don't know any better alternative.

My wife and I prefer navigating with Apple maps after Google Maps stagnated for years and years. Apple's voice instructions are incomparably better.

The 3D view is a hilariously bad anti feature imo. Like the demo screenshot showing the Golden Gate Bridge and obscuring the actual road on the map is kind of funny.

I also hate not being able to keep north fixed on the screen unless I'm in CarPlay. That just doesn't make sense.

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#55

Post by ggm »

NPC82 wrote: post #51
ggm wrote: post #40

Some locals in Brisbane succeeded in getting a brief historical name for the central business district ("Frogs Hollow") boosted up as a locality name which shows up in several zoom levels. It's more prominent than the real name of the location (Gardens Point) sometimes. Nobody appears able to get this rescinded. Either its being contested, or the process boundaries on "this is graffiti") are limiting. I do quite a lo…

There's an entire fake park in my old neighborhood on Gmaps. I reported it ages ago and it's still there for no reason at all.

I'd make the "somebody is going to get killed" remark but it's already been made.

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#56

Post by runlevel1 »

jeffbee wrote: post #14
smeagull wrote: post #4

What I don't understand is where there seem to be two versions of google maps. Sometimes I can get streetview, but if I access it about half the time I can't.

There are two web versions of Google Maps. There's the horrible one that you can reach from the search results page if you made a specifically commercial-local request, like [1]. There is the same thing on proper Google Maps[2]. 1: https://www.google.com/search?sa=X&tbs=lf:1,lf_ui:9&tbm=lcl&... 2: https://www.google.com/maps/search/lunch+downtown+berkeley/@...

Every time I encounter the first version I'm dumbfounded that it still exists.

Its nerfed features make for such a frustrating user experience. I can't think of a reason for it to exist as its own thing. I'd love to know the rationale.

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#59

Post by qup »

zbrozek wrote: post #28
tananaev wrote: post #22

Probably not a popular opinion here, but I like Google Maps. Sure there's some clutter, but it's pretty good at navigation, public transit and searching for places. I don't know any better alternative.

My wife and I prefer navigating with Apple maps after Google Maps stagnated for years and years. Apple's voice instructions are incomparably better.

Apple maps is the only mapping software that's taken me to the wrong place, and it's done it several times. It also tried to put me into a permanent loop once, in Branson. Luckily it was a very small loop, or I might not have noticed, being a tourist.

Re: Google Maps has become an eyesore

#60

Post by tjbiddle »

What drives me nuts is using the "Search this area" feature once I zoom in. Especially if there's an add anywhere in a 20mi radius.

Google Maps usually shows far too much stuff, so I zoom into the area where I am and want to just search that square so I can browse the list easier.

But then it'll zoom out and auto-select the first ad miles away - completely defeating the purpose.

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