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DuckDuckGo Expands Use of Apple Maps

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Re: DuckDuckGo Expands Use of Apple Maps

#221

Post by CamperBob2 »

Spooky23 wrote: post #214
nine_k wrote: post #210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Directing drivers "weird ways" may be a strategy to lower congestion. If all drivers take the same optimal route, and the route exceeds its capacity and clogs, everyone loses.

The last trip I encountered this was on a Saturday night around 11pm north of Syracuse, NY. Drove about 20 minutes in empty, industrial areas to get to a restaurant. It was one expressway exit from our hotel, 5 minutes tops. I think that the app did that to avoid a u-turn or a left turn.

Which is fine, but avoiding left turns and U-turns needs to be available as a user preference, and it (inexplicably) isn't.

Re: DuckDuckGo Expands Use of Apple Maps

#222

Post by inferiorhuman »

velosol wrote: post #197
inferiorhuman wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple Maps is pretty awful in the Bay Area. My favorite recently was it's insistence that I make a left turn off of Van Ness. Left turns have largely been banned from Van Ness starting with the huge construction project, but the left turn Apple Maps was also demanding was also across a double yellow line where a left turn would've been illegal regardless of construction. Yesterday I was trying to remember if this del…

>[...] Apple Maps was also demanding [I cross] a double yellow line where a left turn would've been illegal regardless of construction. Do you perhaps mean a (solid) quad yellow line (aka a painted island)? It's legal to turn left across a double yellow into a driveway, private road, cross street etc in California (and every other state I've lived in long enough to look up the laws) per [1], specifically (d). It's _n…

Do you perhaps mean a (solid) quad yellow line (aka a painted island)? It's legal to turn left across a double yellow into a driveway, private road, cross street etc in California (and every other state I've lived in long enough to look up the laws) per [1], specifically (d). It's _not_ legal to pass on a solid double yellow.

I'm pretty sure Van Ness only has a single set of double lines. What I remember from driver's ed is that you're allowed to turn into a driveway but that's about it. While it doesn't appear match up with the legal (or popular[1]) definitions, the DMV handbook[2] seems to indicate you're only allowed to make a U-turn or turn into a driveway on a double yellow.

That said, there are no left turn signs at every signaled intersection along Van Ness these days, and even if not there's so much traffic that a left turn from a busy state highway into a side street was just a blindingly stupid suggestion.

Today was fun. For the hell of it I fired up some walking directions. Instead of walking along the sidewalk, turning at major intersections Apple had me zig zag down an alley and then cross the next street in the middle of the block instead of at the signal.

1: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-08-10-me-4856-s...

2: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/hdbk/traffic_l...

Re: DuckDuckGo Expands Use of Apple Maps

#223

Post by dsd »

WillyF wrote: post #179

One thing thing that I love about Apple Maps is that they have the name of every river, stream, creek, and ditch if you zoom in far enough. I can't find this information in Google Maps (maybe there's a way to find it, but zooming in doesn't do it). This was exceptionally helpful on my recent trip to Corsica, where I was searching for a specific stream with a genetically significant population of native trout. Apple M…

I noticed that too. I like osmand (openstreetmap) for the same reason. It's like google maps decided to practice more minimalism than apple did.

Re: DuckDuckGo Expands Use of Apple Maps

#224

Post by kbody »

jakecopp wrote: post #185

It's a shame they didn't invest in OpenStreetMap. Their values would align significantly, and OpenStreetMap has excellent road and path coverage in my experience (though struggles with Points of Interest).

Same here, hopefully it's not a pre-acquirement move and instead be more aligned in the future like you said.

Re: DuckDuckGo Expands Use of Apple Maps

#225

Post by dmitriid »

gambiting wrote: post #99
JumpCrisscross wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Not saying it’s clearly better than Google If privacy is worth something to you, it’s clearly better than Google. I, too, use Apple as my primary map. In many cases, Apple Maps is better Google. The ones in which it’s behind are more than made up for by Apple’s values.

Interesting. Here in UK Apple maps seem to be a barren wasteland, at least up here in the north of England. Anything outside of major cities is exactly how my first Garmin satnav looked circa 2003 - lines going through absolute nothingness. And wow, don't even get me started about voice navigation - it constantly picks a wrong address, like 90% of the time. Google maps is pretty bad too(absolutely zero clue about one…

It’s the same everywhere outside California and the US in general.

Re: DuckDuckGo Expands Use of Apple Maps

#226

Post by dmitriid »

nine_k wrote: post #210
Spooky23 wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Google mapping properties are definitely on the decline. My theory is that they are less critical to the advertising business. For navigation, Waze can't find a route 1/5 times for a longer trip, and Google Maps gets weirder and more hostile to use every few months. For me, they have tweaked their routing engine to be more "creative" and direct you in weird ways. Big G is too fat and happy and they need a challen…

Directing drivers "weird ways" may be a strategy to lower congestion. If all drivers take the same optimal route, and the route exceeds its capacity and clogs, everyone loses.

This is what Waze does (based on anecdata between me and friends), so it would make sense for Google Maps to do, too.

Re: DuckDuckGo Expands Use of Apple Maps

#227

Post by exadeci »

WillyF wrote: post #179

One thing thing that I love about Apple Maps is that they have the name of every river, stream, creek, and ditch if you zoom in far enough. I can't find this information in Google Maps (maybe there's a way to find it, but zooming in doesn't do it). This was exceptionally helpful on my recent trip to Corsica, where I was searching for a specific stream with a genetically significant population of native trout. Apple M…

Because it's data from OSM

Re: DuckDuckGo Expands Use of Apple Maps

#228

Post by hug »

dmitriid wrote: post #225
gambiting wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interesting. Here in UK Apple maps seem to be a barren wasteland, at least up here in the north of England. Anything outside of major cities is exactly how my first Garmin satnav looked circa 2003 - lines going through absolute nothingness. And wow, don't even get me started about voice navigation - it constantly picks a wrong address, like 90% of the time. Google maps is pretty bad too(absolutely zero clue about one…

It’s the same everywhere outside California and the US in general.

It is not.

Apple Maps in Melbourne, Australia is fantastic. I find their public transport directions better, and their driving directions on-par.

Re: DuckDuckGo Expands Use of Apple Maps

#229

Post by lucb1e »

Doctor_Fegg wrote: post #138
scrooched_moose wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interesting, but certainly not usable yet. My "shorthand" address missed my house by about 5 miles, and the precise mailing address (like I'd use on an envelope) brought up a steakhouse about 8 miles away. My company name dropped me in Saudi Arabia, and the exact address dropped me in New York (I'm in Minnesota). It's the same issue I have with Open Street Maps, if you're not in SF/NYC/Chi they're damn near useless.…

> It's the same issue I have with Open Street Maps, if you're not in SF/NYC/Chi they're damn near useless OSM long-time mapper here. SF and NYC are not our strong points. Europe is our strong point.

I think for the Americans, contributing data feels too much like work which would violate their idea of letting the free market do its thing. Where would the world go if people just did things for free? Same as with self check-outs, you ain't gonna do that work yourself if you're not getting a discount!

Re: DuckDuckGo Expands Use of Apple Maps

#230

Post by piyush_soni »

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #43
burlesona wrote: post #40

This is cool to see, and I think should be a virtuous cycle. As I understand it, maps is the kind of thing where more usage really helps make the map better, and while DDG doesn’t bring the scale of being the iphone’s default map, it should be adding a non-trivial amount of traffic. I’ve used Apple Maps as my primary map since it came out, and I’ve only gotten a wrong location one time in literally thousands of searc…

> Not saying it’s clearly better than Google If privacy is worth something to you, it’s clearly better than Google. I, too, use Apple as my primary map. In many cases, Apple Maps is better Google. The ones in which it’s behind are more than made up for by Apple’s values.

The only 'values' companies have is to make money. I am surprised people actually believe all those "Mission, vision, values and objectives" statements of big corporations.
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